Cessna 208B accident near Greensburg, Indiana, June 1, 2008
On June 1, 2008 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N102VE, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Greensburg, Indiana (Greenburg Decatur County airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power during the en route climb due to a compressor turbine failure as a result of blade creep. Also causal was the inadequate maintenance performed by the airplane's owner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2008 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greensburg, Indiana · Greenburg Decatur County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N102VE · no longer on the register · serial 208B0618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane, which was used for sky diving operations, was climbing through 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when he heard an explosion followed by a metal grinding noise coming from the engine section of the airplane. He felt the airplane vibrate, and smoke began to fill the cabin. He reported that the engine was not producing any power so he shut the fuel off and performed procedures to rid the cabin of smoke. He leveled the airplane at 5,000 feet msl and set the flaps to 20-degree so that the 14 skydivers could exit the airplane. He attempted a forced landing to runway 18 (3,433 feet by 40 feet, asphalt).The airplane was too high and fast during the approach so he executed a forced landing to a cornfield off the departure end of runway 18. When the airplane landed in the cornfield, the propeller and left wing impacted the terrain, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Inspection of the engine revealed that the compressor turbine (CT) blades failed as a result of blade creep. The engine manufacturer had issued Service Information Letters (SIL) concerning recommended borescope inspection procedures to inspect CT blades for blade creep and fatigue cracks. The airplane's owner reported that he was unaware of the SIL's, and did not perform the borescope inspections that were recommended by the engine manufacturer's SIL.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,089 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 918 as pilot in command; 410 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,221 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 2008; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I34 Greensburg IN at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,433 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from BAK, 24 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.