Cessna 208 N988FX

Summary

On 7 February 2020 at about 08:15 local time, a Cessna 208 registered N988FX, operated by Mountain Air Cargo Inc, was involved in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland, 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

7 February 2020 at 08:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Baltimore/Washington Intl Thur (BWI)

Coordinates

39.1758, -76.6689

Aircraft

Cessna 208

Registration

N988FX

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Mountain Air Cargo Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newark → Baltimore

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA20CA095

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the approach lights during an instrument approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an instrument landing system approach in night instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot was using the autopilot for the approach to the destination airport and disengaged it when he had the runway and airport lighting system in view. The pilot reported that, as he approached the runway, he heard a sound and thought the airplane had hit a bird. He felt the airplane pitch up, so he increased engine power and pitched down to reach the runway. After the pilot landed and taxied to the ramp, he saw that a large piece of an approach light was caught on the right main landing gear. Further examination revealed that the empennage, right horizontal stabilizer, right wing strut, and front cargo pod had sustained substantial damage. The operator reported that the airplane had struck four approach light towers and a localizer antenna.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.