Cessna 402 N402ET

Summary

On 13 November 2003 at about 20:49 local time, a Cessna 402 registered N402ET, operated by Arctic Air Service Inc., was involved in an accident near Galena, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 2003 at 20:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Galena, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Galena (PAGA)

Coordinates

64.7361, -156.9372

Aircraft

Cessna 402

Registration

N402ET

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Arctic Air Service Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nulato → Galena

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC04LA011

Nobody was injured.

Water contamination and freezing of the landing gear actuator that prevented the extension of the right main landing gear, resulting in a gear-up landing. Factors contributing to the accident were freezing temperatures at the accident location, and inadequate maintenance/servicing of the landing gear system by company maintenance personnel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable gear airplane, and as he lowered the landing gear, he did not receive a cockpit indication that the right main landing gear was extended. The pilot performed the emergency gear extension procedures, including the use of the emergency blow-down system, but the right main gear failed to extend. The pilot then landed with the left main landing gear and nose gear extended, and during the landing roll, shutdown the right engine. As the airplane slowed, the right wing and fuselage contacted the runway surface. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed scraping/scuffing damage to the underside of the right wing and aileron. The right main landing gear strut was fully compressed. The gear extension and retraction components appeared to be undamaged. The operator's maintenance personnel reported that proposed repairs to the airplane included removal and replacement of the right wingtip, aileron and flap, and patching of fuselage skin. An FAA inspector reported that during further examination of the landing gear, the right gear hydraulic actuator was found contaminated with water. The temperature at the accident location was -2 degrees F. The FAA inspector indicated the actuator was probably frozen.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.