Cessna 208B accident near Parks, Arizona, November 8, 2002
On November 8, 2002 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N514DB, was destroyed in an accident near Parks, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in flight planning/decision making, his flight into known icing conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in the inadvertent stall/spin and impact with terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper pre-flight planning/preparation, the icing conditions, and the inadvertent stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2002 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Parks, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N514DB · no longer on the register · serial 208B0971
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed Las Vegas, Nevada, approximately 0919, on an IFR flight plan to Midland, Texas. The pilot climbed to an initial cruising altitude of 13,000 feet. At 1005, the pilot contacted Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB) and reported that he was level at 13,000 feet. At 1009, the pilot requested to climb to 15,000 and the ZAB controller approved the request. At 1013:55, the pilot contacted Albuquerque Flight Watch and reported that he was approximately 23 miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona at 15,000 feet, and that about 20 miles west of his position, at 13,000 feet, he encountered "light mixed icing." The pilot requested any PIREP's. Flight Watch reported that a PIREP for "a trace of rime icing at 12,000," was reported by an airplane climbing westbound out of Albuquerque. The pilot acknowledged and asked for the weather across New Mexico. Flight Watch advised the pilot to stand by while he gathered the reports. At 1015:15, the pilot contacted ZAB. He reported, "getting...mixed...right...now," and requested to climb to 17,000 feet. At 1015:57 the controller cleared the airplane to 17,000 feet. At 1016:35, the FW specialist repeated the report of trace icing near Albuquerque. The pilot did not reply. ZAB radar indicated the airplane climbed to 15,200 feet then entered a rapid descent. At 1017:08, a broken transmission was received. No further communications were received from the airplane. Radar contact was lost with the airplane at 1017:20. An examination of the airplane wreckage showed no anomalies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,187 as pilot in command; 429 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 8, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 638 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,785 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 4:19 pm
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 44 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from FLG, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.