Cessna 402B incident near Cordova, Alaska, October 26, 1987
On October 26, 1987 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N5718M, suffered minor damage in an incident near Cordova, Alaska (Cordova airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1987 · about 10:45 pm local time · cases in 1987
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Cordova · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5718M · no longer on the register · serial 402B00354
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE AWARE OF A SHIMMY PROBLEM BUT THEY THOUGHT IS WAS ONLY WORN BUSHINGS. THE MAINTENANCE PEOPLE STATED THEY INSPECTED THE PART BUT FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ALSO STATED HE FOUND NO PROBLEM UPON VISUALLY INSPECTING THE ASSEMBLY JUST PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE A LANDING GEAR CHANGE, HOWEVER, THE WRONG PART WAS INSTALLED AS OUTLINED IN THE PARTS MANUAL. FURTHERMORE, AN UNCERTIFICATED ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE RELEASED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT HAVING A QUALIFIED MECHANIC INSPECT THE GEAR. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ACCEPTED THE AIRPLANE WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY AND DID NOT ENTER THE DISCREPANCY UNTIL AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. THE GEAR HAD 'WOBBLED' DURING TAXI AT ANCHORAGE. THE PLT AND A BAGGAGE HANDLER HAD INSPECTED THE GEAR AND FOUND NOTHING OUT OF ORDER. THE PLT TELEPHONED CO MAINTENANCE AND THE CO GEN MGR SAID THE CO WAS AWARE OF THE SHIMMY PROBLEM AND TO TAKE THE FLT.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,982 hours in all; 230 in the last 90 days; 1,780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1987; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 9:30 pm
- Destination: CDV Cordova AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CDV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 N5718M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5718M: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 402 174 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport · nearest airport
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N5718M 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC88IA013.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.