Cessna 402B accident near Kivalina, Alaska, May 25, 1993
On May 25, 1993 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N401NA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kivalina, Alaska (Kivalina airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE SOFT RUNWAY CONDITION WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1993 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Kivalina, Alaska · Kivalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N401NA · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial 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 PILOT STATED THAT APROX 20 YARDS INTO THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE NOSE WHEEL SANK INTO A SOFT SPOT IN THE CENTER OF THE GRAVEL STRIP AND COLLAPSED. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE SOFT SPOT WAS HARD TO SEE, AND THAT THE RUNWAY APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN RECENTLY GRADED. THE ALASKA AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY CAUTIONS PILOTS THAT THE CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY IS NOT MONITORED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Island Air
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ Kotzebue AK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N401NA 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.