Cessna 208B Caravan, Parks, Ariz., Nov. 8, 2002–The NTSB attributed the Caravan accident to the pilot’s improper in-flight planning/decision making, his flight into known icing conditions and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed. Factors were the pilot’s improper preflight planning/preparation, the icing conditions and an inadvertent stall and spin.
Flying into Albuquerque ARTCC airspace, the Caravan pilot reported level at 13,000 at 10:05. Four minutes later he requested a climb to 15,000, which was approved. The pilot called Albuquerque Flight Watch 23 miles west of Flagstaff and said that at about 20 miles west at 13,000 he had encountered “light mixed icing.”
When he asked for pireps, he was told of a report of a trace of rime icing at 12,000 feet by an airplane climbing out of Albuquerque westbound. The pilot called Center and said he was “getting… mixed… right… now,” and asked for 17,000 feet. He was cleared. Flight Watch called back with more reports at 10:16:35 but there was no reply. Radar showed the Caravan climbed to 15,200 feet and entered a rapid descent. At 10:17:08, a broken transmission was received, but there were no further communications.
The airplane was destroyed and all four aboard were killed.