Cessna 208B accident near Alma, Wisconsin, March 15, 2002
On March 15, 2002 at about 8:00 am local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N228PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alma, Wisconsin. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not removing the ice contamination from the airplane prior to departure and the pilot intentionally flying into known severe icing conditions, resulting in the aircraft not being able to maintain altitude/clearance from the terrain. Factors to the accident included the icing conditions and the trees encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2002 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Alma, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N228PA · registry record · serial 208B0049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed with the airplane contaminated with ice, into known severe icing conditions, and was unable to maintain altitude, subsequently impacting trees and terrain. Witnesses reported the accident airplane arrived at the departure airport contaminated with ice. Several witnesses stated they asked the pilot if he needed the airplane deiced prior to his next departure and the pilot stated he did not need any deice service. Several witnesses said they noticed the pilot chipping-off ice from the airplane prior to his departure. While en route the pilot reported the airplane had encountered icing conditions and he was unable to maintain altitude. Several thick pieces of ice were recovered around the accident site and one of the recovered ice pieces had a semicircular shaped edge that was consistent with a leading edge of an airfoil. No pre-impact anomalies were found with the leading edge de-ice boots that were installed on both wings, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, and wing struts. Federal Aviation Regulations state that all ice contimination shall be removed prior to flight. The Cessna 208B Pilot Operating Handbook indicates that continued flight into known icing conditions must be avoided.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,617 hours in all; 2,317 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,031.5 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 1, 2002; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Priority Air Charter
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 7:05 am
- Destination: YIP Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.56 inHg
- Observation at 7:57 am from ONA, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.