Cessna 208B accident near Creswell, Oregon, March 5, 2003
On March 5, 2003 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N9793B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Creswell, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Water contamination in the fuel system which resulted in a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff, and the pilot's inadequate pre-flight inspection. Trees were a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2003 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Creswell, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9793B · no longer on the register · serial 208B0114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to takeoff he drained the main lower sump, but not the wing sumps, as was company policy. The pilot stated that he was told by the mechanic that "constant use of the wing sumps causes them to leak, and also causes damage to the fuel cells that is hard to repair." The pilot also reported that the airplane had been fueled a few days prior to the flight from a 55 gallon barrel by an electric pump at the company's fueling facility. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll the airplane collided with trees. Post accident inspection of the aircraft found that fuel samples taken from the sumps produced a pint of cloudy, watery substance that was drained from the left wing sump, a mixture of cloudy and clear fuel was drained from the engine fuel sump, and clear jet fuel from the right wing sump. The inspector traveled to the fueling facility and checked the pump glass fuel filter cover, observing it to be half full of what appeared to be water. Two 55 gallon barrels were sitting outside in the rain.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 973 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 906 as pilot in command; 177 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,274 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 23, 2002; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 77S Creswell OR at 7:48 pm
- Destination: 61S Cottage Grove OR
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,060 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from EUG, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.