Cessna 208B accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, March 2, 1995
On March 2, 1995 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N9448B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE THE ICING CONDITIONS PREVAILING AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO MAINTAIN VISUAL LOOKOUT DUE TO WINDSHIELD ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1995 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9448B · no longer on the register · serial 208B0121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STRUCTURAL ICE ACCUMULATED ON THE AIRPLANE AT A RAPID RATE WHILE THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING A PROCEDURE TURN DURING AN NDB APPROACH TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT APPLIED MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT. THE PILOT MAINTAINED 110 KNOTS DURING THE APPROACH AND AFTER BREAKING OUT INTO VISUAL CONDITIONS ELECTED TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD 2 MILES SHORT OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 5 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY THE ACCUMULATION OF CLEAR ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIRPORT MANAGER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT FREEZING DRIZZLE WAS PRESENT AT THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT CALLED THE UNICOM DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,374 hours in all; 2,065 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 4,110 as pilot in command; 1,784 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,669 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 15, 1994; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Martinaire INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 1F0
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N9448B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.