Cessna 402C accident near Meadview, Arizona, June 19, 1992
On June 19, 1992 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N2715X, was destroyed in an accident near Meadview, Arizona (Grand Canyon West airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 10 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE (ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FAILURE (DISENGAGEMENT) OF THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL PUMP DRIVE COUPLING, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND THE LACK OF COMPANY TRAINING CONCERNING AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE IN CONDITIONS OF HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND HEAVY GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1992 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Meadview, Arizona · Grand Canyon West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N2715X · no longer on the register · serial 402C0215
- 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
PLT BEGAN TAKEOFF ON A 5200-FT DIRT RWY (UPSLOPE TO THE SOUTH, ELEV 4775 FT) WITH WIND FROM THE SOUTH AT 18-20 KTS, DENSITY ALT ABOUT 7250 FT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT TAKING OFF, WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTING AS IT PASSED THEIR PSN. SOON THEREAFTER, THE PLT TRANSMITTED HE HAD 'A PROBLEM.' ACFT WAS THEN SEEN ABOUT 200-300 FT AGL IN RIGHT TURN, WHICH PROGRESSED INTO A DIVE. ACFT IMPACTED IN FLAT ATTITUDE 1/2 MI SOUTH OF RWY 17. PSGR VIDEO TAPES REVEALED PROPS WENT OUT OF SYNC ABOUT 6 SEC ATER TAKEOFF. ABOUT 15 SEC LATER, RIGHT PROP SLOWED UNTIL BLADES COULD BE SEEN TURNING. VIDEO SHOWED ONE ENG FUEL FLOW AT ABOUT 90 GPH, OTR ENG AT MIN SETTING (ABT 3 PSI), 5 DEG INCREASE IN PITCH ATTITUDE. EXAM REVEALED RGT ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP DRIVE COUPLING WAS SCORED AND ONLY PARTIALLY ENGAGED. SB ME88 3 COMPLIED WITH; AUX FUEL PUMP SWS FOUND IN LOW PSN. RGT PROP BLADES FND AT FINE PITCH, LACKING ROTATIONAL DMG. LNDG GEAR FND UP, BUT UNLOCKED; FLAPS EXTDD 15 DEG. EMERG PROC TRNG DID NOT REPLICATE HI DENSITY ALT AND MAX GROSS WEIGHT PERFORMANCE.
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: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,891 hours in all; 2,030 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 7,684 as pilot in command; 1,330 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,266 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 29, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Adventure Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: AZ38
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Runway 17, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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 N2715X 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.