Cessna 402 accident near Galena, Alaska, November 13, 2003
On November 13, 2003 at about 8:49 pm local time, a Cessna 402, registered N402ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galena, Alaska (Galena airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2003 · about 8:49 pm local time
- Place
- Galena, Alaska · Galena · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N402ET · no longer on the register · serial 402C0054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,115 hours in all; 4,750 in this make and model; 311 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 11,089 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,916 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 4, 2003; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,210 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520VB1F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arctic Air Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: NUL Nulato AK at 8:05 pm
- Destination: PAGA Galena AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 7,254 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -2°F (-19°C), dew point -8°F (-22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.59 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from PAGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N402ET the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.