ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster N274PM La Crosse, Rush County, KS
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Tuesday 17 March 2020
Time:09:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic C208 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster
Operator:Planemasters
Registration: N274PM
MSN: 208B0705
First flight: 1998
Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:NW of La Crosse, Rush County, KS (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, KS (ICT/KICT), United States of America
Destination airport:Hays Municipal Airport, KS (HYS/KHYS), United States of America
Flightnumber:PMS1670
Narrative:
A Planemaster Ltd Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster, performing cargo flight PMS1670, from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT/KICT) to Hays Municipal Airport (HYS/KHYS) crashed in wheat field terrain northwest of La Crosse, Rush County, Kansas.
The aircraft took off from ICT at 07:52 local time (12:52 UTC). At 08:25, the HYS automated weather observation service was reporting, in part, winds from 080° at 11 knots, visibility 1 statute mile, and overcast clouds at 200 ft above ground level.
The pilot made an ILS approach to runway 34 but was forced to execute a missed approach. The pilot stated to ATC his intention to attempt the ILS approach to runway 34 a second time.
At 08:41, the HYS weather indicated that visibility had dropped to 0,25 statute mile in fog. Again, the pilot performed a missed approach.
About 08:59 the pilot stated his intention to divert to Great Bend Airport (GBD), Kansas. The airplane began a turn to the south toward GBD while climbing to about 7,000 ft.
Around 09:06, the pilot began making unintelligible radio communications that air traffic controllers stated were unreadable. About 09:15, the controller asked the accident pilot if he was turning directly to GBD. After an unintelligible response from the pilot, the controller stated “alright plane master sixteen seventy it's very difficult to understand there might be something wrong with uh your cockpit or your pressurization plane master sixteen seventy oxygen oxygen.” About a minute later, the pilot was more easily understood.
However, about 09:18, ATC made a transmission with no response from the pilot. At the same time the airplane began a descent and left turn.
About 09:20, an unintelligible response was received from the accident airplane. ATC then made numerous transmissions to the accident pilot urging him to utilize oxygen and open a window. No further communications were received from the accident airplane.
The aircraft was found to have crashed in a field. The airplane's tail and wings were visible above ground, with the forward fuselage and engine section buried several feet under the terrain, consistent with a near-vertical, high-speed impact. The main landing gear was bent aft towards the tail with the left and right main wheel protruding from the ground.

Probable Cause:

Probable Cause: "An infight loss of control as a result of pilot impairment, the cause of which could not be determined."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 1 months
Accident number: CEN20LA122
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Flightcrew incapacitation

Sources:
» ksn.com
» kwch.com
» flightaware.com

METAR Weather report:
12:56 UTC / 07:56 local time:
KHYS 171256Z AUTO 08010KT 3SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP261 T00280028

13:09 UTC / 08:09 local time:
KHYS 171309Z AUTO 07010KT 1 1/2SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3027 RMK AO2

13:12 UTC / 08:12 local time:
KHYS 171312Z AUTO 07010KT 3/4SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3027 RMK AO2

13:20 UTC / 08:20 local time:
KHYS 171320Z AUTO 09010KT 1/2SM FG OVC002 03/03 A3026 RMK AO2

13:25 UTC / 08:25 local time:
KHYS 171325Z AUTO 08011KT 1SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3026 RMK AO2

13:32 UTC / 08:32 local time:
KHYS 171332Z AUTO 08012KT 1 1/2SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3026 RMK AO2

13:38 UTC / 08:38 local time:
KHYS 171338Z AUTO 07011KT 3/4SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3027 RMK AO2

13:41 UTC / 08:41 local time:
KHYS 171341Z AUTO 07010KT 1/4SM FG OVC002 03/03 A3027 RMK AO2

13:56 UTC / 08:56 local time:
KHYS 171356Z AUTO 07010KT 1/4SM FG OVC002 03/02 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP260 T00280022

14:29 UTC / 09:29 local time:
KHYS 171429Z AUTO 09009KT 3/4SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3026 RMK AO2 VIS 1/4V5

14:33 UTC / 09:32 local time:
KHYS 171432Z AUTO 10010KT 1 1/4SM BR OVC002 03/03 A3026 RMK AO2 VIS 1/2V5


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line is connecting ADS-B datapoints from FlightAware.
Distance from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, KS to Hays Municipal Airport, KS as the crow flies is 207 km (129 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Cessna 208

  • 3000+ built
  • 248th loss
  • 133rd fatal accident
  • The worst accident
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 United States of America
  • 60th worst accident
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