Cessna 500 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 4, 2008
On March 4, 2008 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 500, registered N113SH, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was flown under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Airplane wing-structure damage sustained during impact with one or more large birds (American white pelicans), which resulted in a loss of control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2008 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N113SH · registry record · serial 500-0285
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board's full report is available at: http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2009/AAR0905.pdf. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-09/05. On March 4, 2008, about 1515 central standard time, a Cessna 500, N113SH, registered to Southwest Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic PC of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, entered a steep descent and crashed about 2 minutes after takeoff from Wiley Post Airport (PWA) in Oklahoma City. None of the entities associated with the flight claimed to be its operator. The pilot, the second pilot, and the three passengers were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 with an instrument flight rules flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the ramp of Interstate Helicopters (a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand helicopter operator at PWA) and was en route to Mankato Regional Airport, Mankato, Minnesota, carrying company executives who worked for United Engines and United Holdings, LLC.
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
- Birdstrike during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Equip certification/testing › FAA/Regulator
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Airport
- Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Documentation/record keeping › (general) › FAA/Regulator
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › (general) › (general) › Related records
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 6,100 hours in all; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 21, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,487 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 29, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 12,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT-15D-1A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT-15D-1A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Interstate Helicopters Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 9:13 pm
- Destination: MKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:19 pm from PWA, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.