Cessna 401 accident near New Century, Kansas, September 18, 2004
On September 18, 2004 at about 7:39 am local time, a Cessna 401, registered N408TE, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Century, Kansas (New Centrury Air Center airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during approach to an alternate airport. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing, his flight into adverse weather, and the thunderstorm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2004 · about 7:39 am local time
- Place
- New Century, Kansas · New Centrury Air Center · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N408TE · no longer on the register · serial 4010269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The on-demand cargo airplane was not operating on a flight plan when it impacted terrain during a visual approach to a second alternate airport. The pilot attributed both diversions to weather conditions associated with convective activity in the area of the destination airport. The pilot stated that during a visual approach to the second alternate airport, he encountered a "very strong" gust 25-50 feet above ground level that blew the airplane "well" to the left side of the runway. He attempted a go-around and applied full engine power but "it felt like" the engine(s) did not develop full power. The left main fuel tank was broken open and did not contain any fuel, and the right main fuel tank contained 27 gallons of fuel. Both fuel selectors were positioned to their respective auxiliary fuel tanks in which the left fuel tank contained 1.2 gallons of fuel and the right auxiliary fuel tank contained 0.5 gallons of fuel. The airplane was not equipped with weather detection equipment. The left engine propeller separated from the left engine displayed torsional bending and twisting where as the right propeller remained attached to the right engine and did not display evidence of torsional bending and twisting. There was no record that the pilot obtained a weather briefing or filed a flight plan prior to departure for the destination airport as required by company and Federal Aviation Regulations.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,728 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,544 as pilot in command; 60 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 12, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,066.6 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 1, 2004; 2.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Telesys Transair Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 6:03 am
- Destination: MKC Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:20 am from IXD
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.