Beech C90 accident near Rocksprings, Texas, December 14, 2008
On December 14, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech C90, registered N43KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rocksprings, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly configure the pressurization controls, resulting in his impairment and subsequent incapacitation due to hypoxia.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rocksprings, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C90 B · all C90s on the register
- Registration
- N43KM · registry record · serial LJ-1345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cleared to 17,000 feet approximately 7 minutes after takeoff. After arriving at 17,000 feet, radar showed the airplane in a meandering flight path increasingly off course that continued through the end of the flight, even after several prompts from the controller. The pilot was cleared to flight level 240 (24,000 feet) after about 6 minutes at 17,000 feet, and about 2 minutes later, while passing through about 18,000 feet, he made his last radio transmission, acknowledging a corrected heading. About 6 minutes later, the airplane arrived at 24,000 feet and the pilot did not make any intelligible responses to controller inquiries for the remainder of the flight. At 1456, radar showed the airplane in a descent to 21,000 feet before beginning a rapid descent and continuing to impact. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact forces and the pilot, who was the only occupant, was fatally injured. During the review of the air traffic control recordings, it was determined that none of the voice transmissions from N43KM sounded as if the pilot was speaking through an oxygen mask microphone. At the accident scene both bleed air switches were observed to be in the closed position and the airplane pressurization switch on the console was observed to be in the dump position. No other preimpact anomalies were observed that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Pressure/environ sys malf/fail during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during emergency descent
- Part(s) separation from AC during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Air conditioning system › Pressurization control system › Not used/operated
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Hypoxia/anoxia › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 31, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,725 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 24, 2008; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Western Wings Corp
The flight
- Departed from: KHDO Hondo TX at 8:25 pm
- Destination: KGYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from KJCT, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.