Cessna 208B N802TH

Summary

On 2 January 1997 at about 23:35 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N802TH, operated by TAR Heel Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Edenton, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 1997 at 23:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Edenton, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Northeastern Regional (EDE)

Coordinates

36.0494, -76.6008

Aircraft

Cessna 208B

Registration

N802TH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TAR Heel Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manteo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA97FA057

2 people died.

the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in this accident were: fog, the low ceiling, and the dark night.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During his weather briefing, the pilot was told that his destination weather was not available, and was provided weather for an airport about 10 miles north. He was briefed that low visibility due to fog prevailed. The flight departed earlier then usual because the company business manager was concerned that the weather at the destination airport was deteriorating, and if the airplane was not there earlier they might not get into the airport. At the time of the accident there was a power failure, and lights around the destination airport went out. The airplane had struck power lines and a support tower located on the approach end of runway 1 and runway 5, about 1/2 mile southwest of the airport. The airport had one NDB approach which was not authorized at night. The nearest recorded weather, about 10 miles north of the crash site, at the time of the accident was; '...ceiling 100, [visibility] 1/2 mile, fog, [temperature] 46 degrees F, dew point, 42 degrees F, winds 220 degrees at 5 [knots], altimeter 29.90 inches Hg. Witnesses reported that there was heavy fog at the airport and the visibility was below 1/4 mile.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.