Cessna 402C accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 14, 2002
On March 14, 2002 at about 2:02 am local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N596DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the tug driver to stop at the stop sign resulting in a collision with a taxiing airplane. A contributing factor was the dark night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2002 · about 2:02 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N596DM · registry record · serial 402C0255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the dark night landing, the airplane exited the runway onto the taxiway. After exiting the runway, the pilot stopped the airplane, retracted the flaps, turned off the landing light, and radioed ground control for clearance to taxi to parking. After receiving clearance, the pilot began taxiing to parking with the taxi lights on. As the airplane neared an access road intersection on the taxiway, the pilot observed a vehicle to his left stopped at the northbound stop sign. The pilot did not see any traffic to his right at the southbound stop sign. As the airplane entered the intersection, the pilot caught a flash of light to his right. A baggage tug, with only the right head light illuminated, struck the airplane's right wing.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,240 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 4,542 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,524 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 27, 2002; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,210 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Charter & Transport
The flight
- Departed from: GUP Gallup NM at 1:21 am
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from ABQ
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.