Cessna 208 accident near Baltimore, Maryland, February 24, 2015
On February 24, 2015 at about 11:12 am local time, a 2012 Cessna 208, registered N989FX, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore/Washington Intl airport). 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 ground service vehicle operator's failure to yield right of way to the airplane due to distraction, which necessitated the pilot's use of reverse thrust and braking to avoid a collision and resulted in the airplane's empennage striking the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2015 · about 11:12 am local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Baltimore/Washington Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 B, built 2012 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N989FX · registry record · serial 208B2403
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was taxiing the airplane to the parking ramp after a night flight. As he approached a point where the taxiway intersected a service road, a ground service vehicle crossed in front of the airplane. To avoid a collision, the pilot applied the brakes and used reverse thrust, which stopped the airplane about 3 ft from the vehicle. The rapid application of braking and reverse thrust resulted in the airplane rocking backward and the empennage striking the ground, substantially damaging the airframe. The operator of the ground service vehicle reported that he was distracted while he attempted to retrieve a security badge and did not see the airplane as it approached the intersection. State law required that ground vehicles always yield right of way to taxiing aircraft.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Other/unknown
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,116 hours in all; 3,615 in this make and model; 155.1 in the last 90 days; 47.5 in the last 30 days; 4,837 as pilot in command; 442 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 29, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,103.3 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 19, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 8,785 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-114A (turboprop); 1,103 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Air Cargo INC
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 9:55 am
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point -4°F (-20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from BWI, 1 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.