Cessna 208B accident near Phoenix, Arizona, November 13, 2003
On November 13, 2003 at about 1:47 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N717BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor 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 pilot's improper decision to taxi behind another airplane conducting an engine run-up, which resulted in a jet blast encounter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2003 · about 1:47 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N717BT · no longer on the register · serial 208B0863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane taxied behind a Bombardier CL-600 that was conducting a maintenance engine run-up and was blown up on its left wing and sustained substantial damage. The cargo ramp area where the accident occurred is considered a nonmovement area, and therefore, not under the control of the control tower. There are no signs concerning jet blast in the accident area. The CL-600 was parked in a designated spot with the tail facing a blast fence. According to the pilot's statement, while his airplane was being loaded with cargo he noted CL-600 with its "tail light on" and heard it doing a run-up. He received a clearance from the ground controller to taxi from the south cargo area to runway 25L via taxiway H to H7. The pilot said that after getting his taxi clearance he looked and it appeared that the CL-600's run-up had been completed and the engines seemed to be at idle. As he taxied behind the CL-600 following a taxi line between the CL-600 and the blast fence he felt his airplane buffet, and heard the engines spool up. The pilot stated that he did not see the red beacon light blinking on the CL-600 prior to crossing behind it. According to the maintenance crew in the CL-600, they contacted PHX South Ground from the Cutter ramp and requested permission to relocate to the south cargo ramp for maintenance engine runs. After proceeding to the south cargo ramp, they had to wait for outbound traffic to park. The maintenance crew stated that they parked in a designated parking spot in front of the blast fence. One mechanic reported that per the normal engine run procedures the position/navigation and beacon lights were on. Prior to performing the power assurance engine run they verified that there were no aircraft, equipment, or personnel within "the danger zone of our engine run up." About 3 to 5 minutes into the run-up, at high power, they were signaled to shutdown their engines and saw the damaged airplane behind them. Three witnesses at the southwest corner of the cargo area, near the United Postal Service (UPS) area, reported that the CL-600 had been doing a run-up for 3 to 5 minutes prior to the Cessna 208 taxiing behind it. These witnesses all reported that they did not observe a flashing beacon light on CL-600. Witnesses at the FedEx maintenance office observed the CL-600 conducting an engine run at high power with the rotating beacon lights on. Review of the ATC tapes disclosed that the CL-600 had been cleared to relocate to the south cargo ramp for engine test runs and that the Cessna 208 had been given a taxi clearance from the ramp without mention of the CL-600 performing engine run-ups on the ramp.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,850 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,349.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2003; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Baltimore Air Transport, Inc./Corpjet
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 1:47 pm
- Destination: SOW Showlow AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from PHX
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 N717BT 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.