Cessna 402A accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, June 29, 1996
On June 29, 1996 at about 7:09 pm local time, a Cessna 402A, registered N13GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon Natl Park airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to properly judge his altitude during final approach resulting in an undershoot. A factor was a downdraft weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1996 · about 7:09 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon Natl Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402A · all 402As on the register
- Registration
- N13GM · no longer on the register · serial 402B-0246
- 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
The pilot encountered unforecasted winds on final approach and touched down short of the runway shearing one of the main landing gear. The other main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The airplane skidded 2,600 feet on the belly before coming to rest on the right side of the runway. The airport is located in mountainous terrain designated by the Airman's Information Manual. The Airman's Information Manual warns pilots that they may encounter abrupt changes in wind direction and wind velocity and that severe updrafts and downdrafts are common, particularly near or above abrupt changes of terrain such as cliffs or rugged areas.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 2,450 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,794 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 20, 1996; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avi, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L15 Las Vegas NV at 6:00 pm
- Destination: GCN
- Runway 21, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from GCN
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 N13GM 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.