Cessna 402 accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, September 14, 1982
On September 14, 1982 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Cessna 402, registered N59SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon Nat'L Park airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1982 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon Nat'L Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 6 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N59SA · no longer on the register · serial 42-313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE 3RD FLT OF THE DAY. THE PLT COMPLETED A SERVICE ORDER FOR 32 GALS OF FUEL & LAID IT ON TOP OF A BENCH LOCATED JUST INSIDE OPEN HANGAR DOORS. THE ACFT WAS NOT REFUELED & THE ORDER WAS LATER FOUND ON THE HANGAR FLOOR AWAY FROM THE BENCH. WHILE OVER THE GRAND CANYON AT 7,500 FT THE LEFT ENG QUIT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES INDICATED EMPTY. THE PLT HEADED FOR THE CANYON RIM & CLEARED THE RIM BY ABOUT 500 FT AGL. HE ADVISED HIS COMPANY HE WOULD TRY TO MAKE THE ARPT OR LAND IN THE CLEARING. THE RIGHT ENG QUIT & THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING COLLAPSING THE GEAR. THE RIGHT MAIN(TIP), LEFT MAIN(TIP) & LEFT AUX TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE RIGHT AUX TANK CONTAINED 5 GALS.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,446 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 245 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,720 as pilot in command; 2,426 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,343 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scenic Airlines INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C Las Vegas NV at 11:45 am
- Destination: C Grand Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 | 3 |
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.