Cessna 402B accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, June 29, 1992
On June 29, 1992 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N910WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was a personal 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
THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT, BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON, WHICH RESULTED IN ITS SEPARATION, IN FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1992 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama · 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
- N910WT · registry record · serial 402B0392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME FOLLOWING REPAINTING. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE PILOT HEARD WIND NOISE FROM THE CABIN & NOTED THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR WAS AJAR. SHORTLY AFTERWARD IT DEPARTED THE FUSELAGE & STRUCK THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS COMPLETED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE EXIT HAD BEEN MIS-RIGGED. DURING THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE SEAL FOR THE UPPER CABIN DOOR WAS REPLACED BUT, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF WORK ON THE EMERGENCY EXIT. THE RECORDS FOR THE RECENT REPAINTING OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REVEAL ANY WORK THAT REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 286 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,541 as pilot in command; 686 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1991; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jefferson Airplane, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from TCL, 13 miles away
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 N910WT 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.