Cessna 208B N717BT

Summary

On 13 November 2003 at about 13:47 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N717BT, operated by Baltimore Air Transport, Inc./CorpJet, was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 2003 at 13:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX)

Coordinates

33.4347, -112.0133

Aircraft

Cessna 208B

Registration

N717BT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Baltimore Air Transport, Inc./CorpJet

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Showlow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA043

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper decision to taxi behind another airplane conducting an engine run-up, which resulted in a jet blast encounter.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane taxied behind a Bombardier CL-600 that was conducting a maintenance engine run-up and was blown up on its left wing and sustained substantial damage. The cargo ramp area where the accident occurred is considered a nonmovement area, and therefore, not under the control of the control tower. There are no signs concerning jet blast in the accident area. The CL-600 was parked in a designated spot with the tail facing a blast fence. According to the pilot's statement, while his airplane was being loaded with cargo he noted CL-600 with its "tail light on" and heard it doing a run-up. He received a clearance from the ground controller to taxi from the south cargo area to runway 25L via taxiway H to H7. The pilot said that after getting his taxi clearance he looked and it appeared that the CL-600's run-up had been completed and the engines seemed to be at idle. As he taxied behind the CL-600 following a taxi line between the CL-600 and the blast fence he felt his airplane buffet, and heard the engines spool up. The pilot stated that he did not see the red beacon light blinking on the CL-600 prior to crossing behind it. According to the maintenance crew in the CL-600, they contacted PHX South Ground from the Cutter ramp and requested permission to relocate to the south cargo ramp for maintenance engine runs. After proceeding to the south cargo ramp, they had to wait for outbound traffic to park. The maintenance crew stated that they parked in a designated parking spot in front of the blast fence. One mechanic reported that per the normal engine run procedures the position/navigation and beacon lights were on. Prior to performing the power assurance engine run they verified that there were no aircraft, equipment, or personnel within "the danger zone of our engine run up." About 3 to 5 minutes into the run-up, at high power, they were signaled to shutdown their engines and saw the damaged airplane behind them. Three witnesses at the southwest corner of the cargo area, near the United Postal Service (UPS) area, reported that the CL-600 had been doing a run-up for 3 to 5 minutes prior to the Cessna 208 taxiing behind it. These witnesses all reported that they did not observe a flashing beacon light on CL-600. Witnesses at the FedEx maintenance office observed the CL-600 conducting an engine run at high power with the rotating beacon lights on. Review of the ATC tapes disclosed that the CL-600 had been cleared to relocate to the south cargo ramp for engine test runs and that the Cessna 208 had been given a taxi clearance from the ramp without mention of the CL-600 performing engine run-ups on the ramp.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.