Dropped 6800 FPM Before Radar Contact Lost

The National Transportation Safety Board has released new information regarding the October 7 loss of a Cessna 208B Caravan near Yakima, WA.

Radar data obtained by the Board indicates the aircraft made a tight 360-degree turn before losing 1,400 feet in 12 seconds. The aircraft appeared to recover and stayed at 13,000 feet for three radar hits before it entered a rapid descent of 6,800 feet per minute, until the last radar hit at 8,900 feet.

Search personnel located the missing wreckage (shown above) on October 8, in remote steep mountainous terrain at about 5,000 feet mean sea level. The 10 persons aboard the airplane were fatally injured.

As ANN reported this week, Howard Plagens from the NTSB southwest regional office is the investigator-in-charge. Members of the Board's Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance are also on-scene.

Investigators are examining the possibility the aircraft may have encountered icing conditions. The NTSB states initial data indicates "adverse meteorological conditions" were in the area of the accident site, and no flight plan was on file.

The plane, a Cessna 208B (N430A), departed Star, ID with a pilot and nine passengers en route to Shelton, WA. The aircraft was used for parachute drop activities.

Parties to the investigation are Cessna Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney, and the FAA.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov