# NTSB NYC08CA102: Beech C90-1, N901JB, Meridian, MS, January 31, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 31, 2008, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Meridian, MS - Coordinates: 32.380001, -88.705558 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3800&lon=-88.7056&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67528 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67528/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA102 ## Probable cause An inadvertent encounter with in-cloud turbulence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 92 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Capability exceeded; cases with it: [All aircraft, 72 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The Beech C90-1 was on autopilot, level, and between cloud layers, at 17,000 feet. The pilot saw some buildups ahead, and to avoid the largest one, asked air traffic control for a "slight turn" and a climb to flight level (FL) 190, which was approved. Nothing on the weather radar or stormscope indicated any severe weather ahead. Upon entering the clouds, in a right climbing turn, the airplane "almost immediately" encountered severe turbulence, and was "thrown inverted" in a nose-down attitude. As the airplane gained airspeed, the pilot pulled the throttles to idle and pushed the propeller levers full forward. He then rolled the airplane upright and had to pull the yoke "extremely hard" to recover from the dive. The event began about 17,500 feet, and the recovery was complete at 10,500 feet. The pilot then climbed the airplane to FL 190, and completed the rest of the flight uneventfully. On the subsequent preflight inspection, the pilot found wrinkling in wing sheet metal. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot of the Beech C90-1, the airplane was on autopilot, level, and between cloud layers, at 17,000 feet. The pilot saw some buildups ahead, and to avoid the largest one, asked air traffic control for a "slight turn" and a climb to flight level (FL) 190, which was approved. Nothing on the weather radar or stormscope indicated any severe weather ahead. Upon entering the clouds, in a right climbing turn, the airplane "almost immediately" encountered severe turbulence, and was "thrown inverted" in a nose-down attitude. As the airplane gained airspeed, the pilot pulled the throttles to idle and pushed the propeller levers full forward. He then rolled the airplane upright and had to pull the yoke "extremely hard" to recover from the dive. The event began about 17,500 feet, and the recovery was complete at 10,500 feet. The pilot then climbed the airplane to FL 190, and completed the rest of the flight uneventfully. On the subsequent preflight inspection, the pilot found wrinkling in wing sheet metal. ## Aircraft - Registration: N901JB (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech C90-1 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LJ1030 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jerry G. Burke - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: TUP, Tupelo, MS - Destination: JKA, Gulf Shores, AL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 7,000 total, 250 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080131831829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080131831829A), Jan 31, 2008: Beech C90, Gulf Shores, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) During cruise flight from tupelo, ms (tup) to Gulf Shores, AL (jka), aircraft encountered severe turbulence and possible wind shear resulting in rapid… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.