Cessna 208 N24MG

Summary

On 6 February 2020 at about 14:56 local time, a Cessna 208 registered N24MG, operated by Redding Aero Enterprises Inc, was involved in an accident near Eureka, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 February 2020 at 14:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Eureka, California, United States

Nearest airport

Murray Field (EKA)

Coordinates

40.8233, -124.1417

Aircraft

Cessna 208

Registration

N24MG

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Redding Aero Enterprises Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sacramento → Arcata/Eureka

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR20CA089

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's delayed response to initiate a go-around during a night visual approach over water after the airplane entered instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of forward visibility and subsequent impact with the water.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While the pilot was on a visual approach to the airport and descending over water on the left base leg, about 100 ft above the water's surface, the airplane entered instrument meteorological conditions with no forward visibility. The pilot looked outside his left window to gauge the airplane's altitude and saw "black waves of water approaching extremely rapidly." He tried to pull back on the yoke to initiate a climb, but the nosewheel contacted the water. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.