Status:	Final
Date:	08 NOV 2002
Time:	10:20
Type:	Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Operator:	Brown County Financial Services
Registration:	N514DB
C/n / msn:	208B-0971
First flight:	2002
Engines:	1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A
Crew:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Total:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Airplane damage:	Destroyed
Airplane fate:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	4,8 km (3 mls) S of Parks, AZ (United States of America)
Phase:	En route (ENR)
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS), United States of America
Destination airport:	Midland International Airport, TX (MAF/KMAF), United States of America

Narrative:
Caravan N514DB departed Las Vegas (LAS) for a flight to Midland (MAF). Planned flying time was four hours. An AIRMET was in effect for the pilot's route of flight, that included moderate mixed and rime icing from the freezing level up to 24,000 feet. The freezing level was forecast to be at 12,500 feet in Arizona and that it was dropping down to 10,500 feet further east. The pilot received routine clearances, via his planned route, and climbed to a cruising altitude of 13,000 feet. At 10:09, the pilot requested a climb to 15,000 feet, which was approved by Albuquerque ARTCC. Six minutes later the pilot reported mixed icing and requested to climb to 17,000 feet. The controller cleared the flight for that altitude. At 10:16 ARTCC radar showed the airplane climb to 15,200 feet, then rapidly descend. The Caravan had entered a spin and impacted a wooded area.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's improper in flight planning/decision making, his flight into known icing conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in the inadvertent stall/spin and impact with terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper pre-flight planning/preparation, the icing conditions, and the inadvertent stall/spin."

Events:

Sources:
» NTSB