Cessna 402B accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota, March 10, 2009
On March 10, 2009 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N402BP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Aberdeen, South Dakota (Aberdeen Regional 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather and icing conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the accumulation of airframe ice and the strong, gusting crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2009 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, South Dakota · Aberdeen Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N402BP · no longer on the register · serial 402B0353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The cargo flight encountered moderate icing conditions during the initial climb to the planned cruise altitude. The deice boots, pitot tube heat, stall vane heat, propeller deice, and windshield hot plate were used throughout the flight. The flight was subsequently cleared to a higher altitude, where it remained above the cloud tops and did not accrue any additional ice. The unprotected areas of the wings and windshield were still contaminated with ice when the pilot began his initial descent into the destination airport. The unprotected areas of the airplane continued to accrue ice while being vectored to join the instrument approach to runway 31. The pilot reported having difficulty aligning the airplane with the runway because the windshield was obscured by ice, except for a narrow section protected by the hot plate. The airplane crossed over the runway threshold at 120 knots indicated airspeed. The pilot stated that immediately prior to touchdown he had the sensation of a high sink rate, which was followed by the hard landing. After the flight, there was 1 to 1-1/2 inches of ice accumulation on the unprotected areas of the airplane. The protected areas of the wing, tail, windshield, and propeller blades were free of any appreciable ice contamination. The right wing primary structure, including the main wing spar and engine nacelle assembly, was substantially damaged during the hard landing. The local winds were 360 degrees true at 22 knots, gusting to 30 knots. During the accident flight, there was an active advisory for moderate icing conditions below 15,000 feet mean sea level and a freezing level at the surface.
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
What happened, in order
- Structural icing during enroute
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Ability to respond/compensate
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,880 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 7,780 as pilot in command; 2,758 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,117 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Business Aviation Courier, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KFSD Sioux Falls SD at 11:39 am
- Destination: KABR Aberdeen SD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,901 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 360° at 22 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; a few clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:46 pm from KABR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.