Cessna 208 accident near Hillsborough, New Hampshire, August 13, 1999
On August 13, 1999 at about 5:11 pm local time, a Cessna 208, registered N193GE, was destroyed in an accident near Hillsborough, New Hampshire. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadequate auxiliary fuel tank installation which resulted in a leak of undetermined origin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1999 · about 5:11 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsborough, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N193GE · no longer on the register · serial 20800193
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
With an auxiliary fuel tank system installed, the pilot filled the tanks and departed. A few minutes later, he noticed fuel on the floor of the cabin, and tried to reach an airport. However, the fuel fumes were so strong he elected to land in an open field. After touchdown, the airplane passed through a ditch the pilot had not observed from the air. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. An airborne witness reported the pilot exited the airplane after about 5 minutes, and about 5 minutes later, the airplane caught fire and burned. The post-crash fire consumed the cabin. In an interview, the pilot reported that he had not initiated use of the auxiliary fuel tank system when the accident occurred. He also reported he could not see where the fuel was coming from. The investigation revealed the tank installation did not match the FAA Form 337, the instructions for use of the ferry tank system were inadequate, and the pilot had reported that the auxiliary fuel pumps were secured to a board which was not secured to the airplane.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,530 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 10,458 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,132 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 8, 1999; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,035 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MHT Manchester NH at 5:00 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from MHT, 22 miles away
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.
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.