Cessna 401A accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia, December 17, 2001
On December 17, 2001 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 401A, registered N4062Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia (Eastern Wv Regional/Shepard airport). 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 owner/mechanic's failure to comply with an Airworthiness Directive, which resulted in a cracked fuel supply line and subsequent in-flight fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2001 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsburg, West Virginia · Eastern Wv Regional/Shepard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401A · all 401As on the register
- Registration
- N4062Q · no longer on the register · serial 401A0111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, with the combustion heater turned on, the pilot heard an explosion. Smoke then entered the cabin, followed by a loss of electrical power. The pilot diverted and landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the combustion heater exhibited heat and fire damage. The fuel pump supply line that ran between the fuel pump and the heater was found cracked at the fuel pump housing inlet, and was loose. The fractured surfaces appeared dull, and displayed carbon build-up. Examination of the airplane's logbooks revealed that on December 1, 1993, the combustion heater had been removed, rebuilt, and then re-installed, at a total airplane time of 3,932.2 hours. Additionally, there were no logged entries which indicated that the 20-year old Airworthiness Directive that was issued to "prevent a hazardous condition caused by deterioration on the combustion heater", for this particular model heater had been complied with. The airplane underwent an annual inspection in September 2001, at a total airplane time of 5,213.5 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued a total of 5,231.9 hours.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,213.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 2001; 18.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40N Coatesville PA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: HTS Huntington WV
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MRB
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.
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.