Cessna 208B incident near Rome, New York, December 3, 2009
On December 3, 2009 at about 12:47 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N701FX, was involved in an incident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Rome, New York. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 operator's inadequate engine wash intervals, which resulted in compressor turbine blade sulphidation and subsequent turbine blade failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2009 · about 12:47 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- 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
- N701FX · registry record · serial 208B0420
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was climbing through 7,500 feet when the pilot heard a grinding noise and saw that the gas generator speed indicator had dropped to zero. The engine then seized and the pilot declared an emergency. An air traffic controller provided vectors toward an airport; however, the airplane landed in a field about 3 miles short of the runway. Subsequent disassembly of the engine revealed compressor turbine blade fractures at varying heights above the platform and downstream damage to the power turbine blades. Further examination revealed that 13 blades were fractured at the platform, with 8 of those exhibiting fatigue fractures at the leading edge, and overload fractures toward the trailing edge. The remaining five blades exhibited ductile overload fractures over the entire fracture surface. A number of blades were also fixed to the disc, with the mating surfaces of both the blades and the disc exhibiting corrosion. Examination of blade serrations revealed an accumulation of orange dust, with black corrosion blisters observed at various locations. Dust analysis revealed sulphidation, with airborne salts likely reacting with the oxide layer on the blades to result in oxide layer decay. Subsequent to the incident, the operator increased engine water washes from once every 50 hours of engine operation to weekly, and incorporated borescope inspections into the engine maintenance program at every 100 hours of operation.
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 emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Compressor section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Organizational issues › Management › Scheduling › Maintenance scheduling › Operator
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,200 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 4,460 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,606 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 13, 2009; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wiggins Airways, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SYR Syracuse NY at 12:30 pm
- Destination: PBG Plattsburgh NY
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.25 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from RME, 3 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.