Cessna 402B accident near West Columbia, South Carolina, May 26, 1988
On May 26, 1988 at about 1:06 am local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N8493A, was destroyed in an accident near West Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metro airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. 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 accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1988 · about 1:06 am local time
- Place
- West Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8493A · no longer on the register · serial 402B0236
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE USED ABOUT 1/2 OF THE 8,602 FT RWY FOR THE T/O ROLL. AFTER T/O IT PITCHED NOSE-DOWN BRIEFLY OVER THE RWY DURING INIT CLIMB. THE PLT RADIOED THAT HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ELEVATOR WHICH REQUIRED 'FULL BACK PRESSURE' TO KEEP THE NOSE UP, AND THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND. AFTER MANEUVERING AROUND THE ARPT, THE ACFT PITCHED 70-80 DEG NOSE DN AND DOVE INTO TERRAIN OFF THE APPCH END OF THE RWY. THE WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED THAT THE BOLT SECURING THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB PUSHROD TO THE ACTUATOR WAS MISSING. THE ROD HAD BECOME WEDGED INSIDE THE ELEVATOR WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXTREME TAB UP (NOSE DN) CONDITION. THE ACFT UNDERWENT AN ANNUAL INSP 2 DAYS/5 FLT HRS EARLIER. THE IA MECH RPTD THAT NO MAINT WAS PERFORMED ON THE TAB SYS, AND THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THE BOLT WAS PROPERLY SAFETIED. ANOTHER PLT WHO FLEW THE ACFT THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT RPTD THAT HE FOUND THE PUSHROD TO BE SECURE DURING HIS PREFLT INSP. THE 402B POH INDICATED THAT THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE REQ ABOUT 1,200 FT FOR THE T/O GROUND ROLL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 1,255 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,672 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Napier Air Service,Inc.
The flight
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 8,602 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:12 am from CAE, 1 miles away
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.
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.