Curtiss-Wright CW-46 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, October 29, 2002
On October 29, 2002 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Curtiss-Wright CW-46, registered N54514, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the right main landing gear locking device to engage, which allowed the right main landing gear to collapse during taxi from landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2002 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss-Wright CW-46
- Registration
- N54514 · registry record · serial 33285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had just completed a maintenance test flight following an engine overhaul, and was taxiing to parking when the right main landing gear collapsed. He said prior to landing, he had an amber gear warning light that meant one of the two locking devices on the right main landing gear was not engaged. A red light would indicate that neither locking device was engaged. The company's procedure allows the pilot to land with an amber light after attempting to ascertain that the gear is down and locked. The pilot said the landing was uneventful, but while taxiing to parking, the right main landing gear slowly collapsed, damaging the right wing.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,264 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 29, 2002; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R2800 51M1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01L, 11,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PAFA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.