Cessna 402C accident near Cordova, Alaska, February 20, 2007
On February 20, 2007 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N402ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordova, Alaska (Cordova airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 linkage during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and the collapse of the right main landing gear. A factor associated with the accident was the failure of company maintenance personnel to comply with a maintenance service letter issued by the airplane manufacturer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2007 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Cordova · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N402ET · no longer on the register · serial 402C0054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was landing the retractable gear airplane on a hard surfaced runway at the conclusion of an air taxi cargo flight. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane veered to the right, and he was unable to maintain directional control. The right main landing gear subsequently collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. Inspection by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and company maintenance personnel, disclosed that the right main landing gear scissor link/strut became disconnected, which allowed the right main wheel assembly to turn sideways and overload the gear leg. Examination of the linkage revealed that the bolt securing the scissors/linkage had pulled through the washer adjacent to the scissor bushing opening, and ultimately through the bushing, disconnecting the linkage. The manufacturer of the airplane issued Service Letter ME-83-37, dated November 23, 1983, that recommended the original equipment outer main landing gear scissors link washers be replaced with larger, more robust washers for "...improved service life and main landing gear alignment retention." The operator had not complied with the nonmandatory service letter, and the airplane was operated with the smaller washers.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 18,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,999 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 1, 2007; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,210 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK at 11:17 am
- Destination: CDV Cordova AK
- Runway 09, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 005° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point -13°F (-25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.13 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PACV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.