Accident Cessna 208B Grand Caravan N717BT,

Date:	Friday 22 July 2005
Time:	08:30
Type:	Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Owner/operator:	CorpJet
Registration:	N717BT
MSN:	208B0863
Year of manufacture:	2000
Total airframe hrs:	4461 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Globe-San Carlos Apache Airport, AZ - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Globe-San Carlos Apache Airport, AZ
Destination airport:	Safford Airport, AZ (SAD/KSAD)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Cessna Caravan was operated on a contract cargo flight for United Parcel Service (UPS). On the morning of the accident, the pilot flew the airplane from Phoenix to Globe with about 600 pounds of cargo and 1,600 pounds of fuel. The flight lasted approximately 30 minutes and he experienced no problems and noted no anomalies. At Globe, the pilot offloaded about 200 pounds of cargo and departed for Safford. He did not add fuel at Globe. He took off with a normal
takeoff flap setting of 20 degrees, and a takeoff power setting just below normal (which according to the pilot was between 1,800 and 1,900 RPM). During engine start he noted a normal inlet turbine temperature (ITT) and oil pressure indication, but during takeoff, he concentrated on torque setting and didn't notice the ITT and oil pressure during climb out.
The pilot heard a loud "thunk" and noted a loss of engine power. Three annunciator lights were illuminated ("low oil pressure, low fuel pressure, and low vacuum pressure"). He manipulated the power lever from the full forward position to the full aft position ("stop-to-stop") and noted he had no power. The pilot made a turn back toward the runway. During the turn, the descent rate was such that he realized he would not be able to make it back to the airport and concentrated on finding a landing area. The pilot initially set up to land on Highway 70, but believed there was too much traffic and he would hit something.
He then focused on landing in a field adjacent to the highway. The airplane touched down on the edge of Highway 70, bounced down an incline on the side of the road and came to rest upright in the dirt among scrub brush.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The fatigue failure of the compressor turbine stator vane, the liberation of vane material into the compressor turbine, and the total loss of engine power. Also causal was the operator's failure to inspect the compressor turbine vane during fuel nozzle checks."

Accident investigation: