Cessna 402C accident near Charleston, West Virginia, September 8, 2004
On September 8, 2004 at about 11:04 am local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N5774C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia (Yeager 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 pilot's improper decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining. A factor was the wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2004 · about 11:04 am local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Yeager Airport · 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
- N5774C · no longer on the register · serial 402C0039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was departing on a wet runway. About halfway down the runway, during rotation, the left nose cargo door opened. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but the airplane traveled off the end of the runway and struck an embankment. Review of the airplane information manual revealed that an open cargo door would not strike the propeller or cause any unusual handling characteristics; and that a takeoff with an open cargo door could be successfully completed. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies, nor did the pilot report any.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,325 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 214 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 2,235 as pilot in command; 1,426 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV at 11:04 am
- Destination: ORF Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 4,751 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:14 am from CRW
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.