Cessna 208 N208W

Summary

On 7 October 1989 at about 03:05 local time, a Cessna 208 registered N208W was involved in an accident near Uncertain, Texas, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 October 1989 at 03:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Uncertain, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Vaughan's

Coordinates

32.6197, -94.1394

Aircraft

Cessna 208

Registration

N208W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Destin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW90FA005

5 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, AND FAILURE OF THE AIRCREW TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND CLEARANCE FROM THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) BESIDE THE RUNWAY. RELATED FACTORS WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARK NIGHT, LACK OF RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION BY THE PILOT(S), AND TREES BESIDE THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT TOOK OFF AT NGT FROM A PVT/UNLIGHTED STRIP WITH A PROFESSIONAL (ATP) PLT & THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED OWNER/PLT AT THE CONTROLS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT ENTERED A SLIGHT LEFT TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT THE TOP OF A TALL PINE TREE, ABOUT 80 FT AGL & 202 FT LEFT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED INTO OTHER TREES AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 450 FT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DETERMINE WHICH PLT WAS ACTUALLY FLYING THE ACFT. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE OWNER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.041% (41 MG/DL) & A URINE/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.012% (12 MG/DL). TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PROFESSIONAL PLT'S BLOOD & URINE WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.