Cessna 402

New Bight Enterprises Company

Operator:

Registration:

N422TA

Flight Phase:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nassau - Arthur's Town

MSN:

402B-0357

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed under unknown circumstances while approaching Arthur's Town Airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402B in Bugelenga

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1987 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

5H-TZZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6200

Circumstances:

En route, one of the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and completed an emergency landing in a pasture. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 402A off Malekolon: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P2-GKG

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

402A-0070

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Malekolon Airstrip, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea and sank. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402 on Mt Cuilato: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-5530

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Carimagua - Saravena

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of Mt Cuilato located southwest of Saravena. As the aircraft failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended on 15 October 1987 as no trace of the aircraft nor the nine occupants was found. The wreckage was localized in an isolated area on 30 March 2000.

Crash of a Cessna 402C in Chicago: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1987 at 2219 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Air Maryland

Registration:

N3742C

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chicago - Kansas City

MSN:

402C-0600

YOM:

1974

Location:

Chicago-Midway

Illinois

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3200

Aircraft flight hours:

2597

Circumstances:

On initial climb the pilot reported 'just lost one', followed by a loss of control and descent into a residential area. Subsequent investigation revealed a loose connection between the left engine throttle serrated washer and the serrated shaft. The engine had been removed and reinstalled a few flight hours prior to the occurrence. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

The NTSB determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Failure of maintenance personnel to perform proper installation of the left throttle linkage.
Findings:
Occurrence #1: airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Phase of operation: takeoff - initial climb
Findings
1. (c) induction air control, linkage - loose
2. (c) maintenance, installation - improper - other maintenance personnel
----------
Occurrence #2: loss of control - in flight
Phase of operation: takeoff
Findings
3. (c) propeller feathering - not performed - pilot in command
4. (c) airspeed (vmc) - disregarded - pilot in command
5. (f) light condition - dark night
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Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: descent - uncontrolled
Findings
6. Object - wire, static
7. Object - building (nonresidential)

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402C in Bundaberg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1987 at 0318 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

VH-WBQ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Ambulance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Bundaberg - Brisbane

MSN:

402C-0627

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The flight had been arranged to transport a critically injured patient to hospital in Brisbane. The pilot evidently experienced some difficulty in starting one of the engines. However, witnesses reported that the engines sounded normal as the aircraft commenced moving from the parking area. At 0310 hours the pilot contacted Brisbane Flight Service Unit and reported that the aircraft was taxying. He advised that he was in a hurry, and indicated that he would provide details of the flight after takeoff. Two minutes later he advised that takeoff was being commenced from Runway 14. No further transmissions were received from the aircraft. The aircraft was seen to become airborne and shortly afterwards enter a fog bank. Other witnesses subsequently reported hearing the sounds of an impact. The flight had been arranged to transport a critically injured patient to hospital in Brisbane. The pilot evidently experienced some difficulty in starting one of the engines. However, witnesses reported that the engines sounded normal as the aircraft commenced moving from the parking area. At 0310 hours the pilot contacted Brisbane Flight Service Unit and reported that the aircraft was taxying. He advised that he was in a hurry, and indicated that he would provide details of the flight after takeoff. Two minutes later he advised that takeoff was being commenced from Runway 14. No further transmissions were received from the aircraft. The aircraft was seen to become airborne and shortly afterwards enter a fog bank. Other witnesses subsequently reported hearing the sounds of an impact. The flight had been arranged to transport a critically injured patient to hospital in Brisbane. The pilot evidently experienced some difficulty in starting one of the engines. However, witnesses reported that the engines sounded normal as the aircraft commenced moving from the parking area. At 0310 hours the pilot contacted Brisbane Flight Service Unit and reported that the aircraft was taxying. He advised that he was in a hurry, and indicated that he would provide details of the flight after takeoff. Two minutes later he advised that takeoff was being commenced from Runway 14. No further transmissions were received from the aircraft. The aircraft was seen to become airborne and shortly afterwards enter a fog bank. Other witnesses subsequently reported hearing the sounds of an impact. The investigation revealed that the aircraft had collided with a tree 800 metres beyond the aerodrome boundary, while tracking about 10 degrees to the right of the extended centreline of the runway. It had then continued on the same heading until striking the ground 177 metres beyond the initial impact point. The wreckage was almost totally consumed by fire.

Probable cause:

The extensive fire damage hampered the investigation of the accident. The surviving passenger believed that the aircraft was on fire before the collision with the tree. No other evidence of an in-flight fire could be obtained, and it was considered possible that the survivor's recall of the accident sequence had been affected by the impact and the fire. Such discrepancies in recall are not uncommon among accident survivors. The elevator trim control jack was found to be in the full nose-down position, but it was not possible to establish whether the trim was in this position prior to impact. Such a pre-impact position could indicate either a runaway electric trim situation or that, in his hurry to depart, the pilot had not correctly set the trim for takeoff. The aircraft was known to have had an intermittent fault in the engine fire warning system. The fault apparently caused the fire warning light to illuminate, and the fire bell to sound, usually just after the aircraft became airborne. The pilot was aware of this fault. It was considered possible that, if the fault occurred on this occasion as the aircraft entered the fog shortly after liftoff, the pilot's attention may have been focussed temporarily on the task of cancelling the warnings. During this time he would not have been monitoring the primary flight attitude indicator, and would have had no external visual references. It was also possible that, if for some reason the pilot was not monitoring his flight instruments as the aircraft entered the fog, he suffered a form of spatial disorientation known as the somatogravic illusion. This illusion has been identified as a major factor in many similar accidents following night takeoffs. As an aircraft accelerates, the combination of the forces of acceleration and gravity induce a sensation that the aircraft is pitching nose-up. The typical reaction of the pilot is to counter this apparent pitch by gently applying forward elevator control, which can result in the aircraft descending into the ground. In this particular case, the pilot would probably have been more susceptible to disorientating effects, because he was suffering from a bronchial or influenzal infection. Although all of the above were possible explanations for the accident, there was insufficient evidence available to form a firm conclusion. The precise cause of the accident remains undetermined.
It is considered that some of the following factors may have been relevant to the development of the accident
1. The pilot was making a hurried DEPARTURE. It is possible that he did not correctly set the elevator trim and/or the engines may not have reached normal operating temperatures before the takeoff was commenced.
2. Shortly after liftoff the aircraft entered a fog bank, which would have deprived the pilot of external visual references.
3. The aircraft had a defective engine fire warning system. Had the system activated it may have distracted the pilot at a critical stage of flight.
4. The aircraft might have suffered an electric elevator trim malfunction, or an internal fire, leading to loss of control of the aircraft.
5. The pilot may have experienced the somatogravic illusion and inadvertently flown the aircraft into the ground. The chances of such an illusion occurring would have been increased because the pilot was evidently suffering from an infection.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402C off Palm Beach: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1987

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2652B

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Palm Beach - Marsh Harbour

MSN:

402C-0345

YOM:

1980

Location:

Palm Beach-Intl

Florida

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

16740

Captain / Total hours on type:

165.00

Aircraft flight hours:

9151

Circumstances:

On 5/27/87 at about 0915 edt, the pilot departed Palm Beach-Intl Airport (PBI) on a flight to Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas. When the aircraft did not arrive at the destination, a search was initiated. The aircraft was not found and was presumed to have been destroyed. The pilot was presumed to have been fatally injured. Radar data revealed that the aircraft had departed toward Marsh Harbour, but the last contact with the flight was approximately 12 miles east of PBI. An aircraft was seen flying eastbound over the destination airport at about the time of the estimated arrival time. Also, another pilot thought she heard a radio transmission from the missing aircraft when the pilot reported in the vicinity of Grand Bahama Island.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: missing aircraft
Phase of operation: unknown
Findings
1. (c) reason for occurrence undetermined

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402A in Kahului

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1987 at 0854 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Inter Island Air

Registration:

N4588Q

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Kahului - Lanai

MSN:

402A-0088

YOM:

1969

Location:

Kahului

Hawaii

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

6650

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot requested an 'immediate downwind' to return to the airport and was cleared to land. When asked if equipment was needed, he replied, 'negative, sir, a little matter of fuel.' A witness said the aircraft appeared very low on final approach with both props turning. The aircraft crash landed short of the runway, went thru a perimeter fence and came to rest on an incline about 10 feet short of the runway. The pilot received a head injury and couldn't remember many details of the occurrence. In an early interview, he induced there was a partial power loss and the aircraft yawed, but he couldn't remember which engine 'cut out first.' Later, he was unable to recall losing power. Six gallons of fuel was found in the left main tank, about 1.5 gallon was in the right main tank. The left fuel selector was found in the 'main' position, but due to damage and rescue activities, the position of the right fuel selector was not determined. Both auxiliary pump switches were in the 'off' position. The left propeller control was in the feather position, but neither propeller had feathered. Each main tank held one gallon of unusable fuel. A test of the pilot's blood showed 0,45‰ alcohol.

Probable cause:

Occurrence #1: loss of engine power (partial) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: approach
Findings
1. (c) preflight planning/preparation - inadequate - pilot in command
2. (f) refueling - not performed - pilot in command
3. (f) fluid, fuel - low level
4. Precautionary landing - initiated
5. (c) fluid, fuel - starvation
6. (c) fuel supply - inadequate - pilot in command
7. (f) impairment (alcohol) - pilot in command
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Occurrence #2: forced landing
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
Findings
8. (c) planning/decision - improper - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: landing
Findings
9. (f) terrain condition - rough/uneven
----------
Occurrence #4: on ground/water collision with object
Phase of operation: landing
Findings
10. (f) object - fence

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402C in Hyannis

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1987 at 1115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N87PB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Hyannis - Nantucket

MSN:

402C-0639

YOM:

1982

Location:

Hyannis-Barnstable

Massachusetts

Country:

Region: