Cessna 402C accident near St Johns, Arizona, April 11, 1996
On April 11, 1996 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N172VB, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Johns, Arizona (St Johns Industrial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, his use of an overly excessive approach speed, and his misjudged distance/altitude relationship to the runway. The wind was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1996 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- St Johns, Arizona · St Johns Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N172VB · no longer on the register · serial 402C1014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot decided to increase his final approach speed by 15 knots to compensate for the gust spread and crosswind. He descended on final approach using the VASI system as a glide path reference. After touchdown the airplane bounced and floated, and touched down again in the middle 1/3 of the 5,323-foot runway. The pilot did not notice how much runway was remaining. After clearing a slight rise, he saw the departure end of the runway and realized there was insufficient runway remaining to stop or execute a go-around. The airplane ran off the end of the runway. The AWOS recorded winds from 260 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 45 knots.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,700 hours in all; 371 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 8,025 as pilot in command; 3,218 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,251 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 5, 1996; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 10:00 pm
- Destination: SJN
- Runway 32, 5,323 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 33 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from SJN, 1 miles away
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.