Cessna 500 accident near Derby, Kansas, October 18, 2013
On October 18, 2013 at about 3:17 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 500, registered N610ED, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Derby, Kansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's encounter with severe icing conditions, which resulted in structural icing, and the pilot's increased workload and subsequent disorientation while maneuvering in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions with malfunctioning flight instruments, which led to the subsequent loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to takeoff in IFR conditions and fly a single-pilot operation without a functioning autopilot and with malfunctioning flight instruments.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2013 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Derby, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 CITATION, built 1975 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N610ED · no longer on the register · serial 5000241
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After climbing to and leveling at 15,000 feet, the airplane departed controlled flight, descended rapidly in a nose-down vertical dive, and impacted terrain; an explosion and postaccident fire occurred. Evidence at the accident site revealed that most of the wreckage was located in or near a single impact crater; however, the outer portion of the left wing impacted the ground about 1/2 mile from the main wreckage. Following the previous flight, the pilot reported to a maintenance person in another state that he had several malfunctioning flight instruments, including the autopilot, the horizontal situation indicator, and the artificial horizon gyros. The pilot, who was not a mechanic, had maintenance personnel replace the right side artificial horizon gyro but did not have any other maintenance performed at that time. The pilot was approved under an FAA exemption to operate the airplane as a single pilot; however, the exemption required that all equipment must be operational, including a fully functioning autopilot, flight director, and gyroscopic flight instruments. Despite the malfunctioning instruments, the pilot chose to take off and fly in instrument meteorological conditions. At the time of the loss of control, the airplane had just entered an area with supercooled large water droplets and severe icing, which would have affected the airplane's flying characteristics. At the same time, the air traffic controller provided the pilot with a radio frequency change, a change in assigned altitude, and a slight routing change. It is likely that these instructions increased the pilot's workload as the airplane began to rapidly accumulate structural icing. Because of the malfunctioning instruments, it is likely that the pilot became disoriented while attempting to maneuver and maintain control of the airplane as the ice accumulated, which led to a loss of control.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Structural icing during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during uncontrolled descent
- Part(s) separation from AC during uncontrolled descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Explosion (post-impact) during post (impact)
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task overload › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Instrument panel › Malfunction
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › (general) › Effect on operation
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › Autopilot system › Inoperative
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,605 hours in all; 1,172 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,560 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 24, 2012; 249 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pwc JT15D-1A (turbofan); 7,212 hours total
- Engine 2: Pwc JT15D-1A (turbofan); 10,435 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Dufresne INC
The flight
- Departed from: ICT Wichita KS at 3:07 pm
- Destination: BAZ New Braunfels TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:58 pm from KIAB, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.