Cessna 402 accident near New Bedford, Massachusetts, January 31, 1986
On January 31, 1986 at about 7:44 pm local time, a Cessna 402, registered N4033Q, was destroyed in an accident near New Bedford, Massachusetts (New Bedford airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- January 31, 1986 · about 7:44 pm local time
- Place
- New Bedford, Massachusetts · New Bedford
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N4033Q · no longer on the register · serial 4020133
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT EXPERIENCED INADEQUATE L ENG MANIFOLD PRES DURING A TKF ATTEMPT AT NEWPORT. THE TKF WAS ABORTED AND AFTERWARDS THE PLT DECIDED TO FERRY THE ACFT TO NEW BEDFORD FOR INSPECTION. THE ENG WERE RESTARTED AND OPERATION WAS GOOD. THE FLT TO NEW BEDFORD WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL THE ACFT WAS ON A 2 MIS FINAL TO RWY 05 AT THIS TIME THE L ENG STOPPEDWHILE THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO FEATHER THE ENG, BOTH THE ENGINE AND PART OF THE L WING CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE PLT CONTINUED TO THE ARPT WITH THE FLAPS & GEAR DOWN AND A/S AT 125 MPH. THE PLT STATED HE WAS IN A GOOD POSITION TO LAND WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG WHICH HE DESCRIBED SOUNDED LIKE A CABLE. THE ACFT ENTERED A 25 DEG L BANK. HE LEVELED THE WINGS BY REDUCING R ENG POWER. COLLOSION WITH TREES TO THE L OF THE RWY OCCURRED AFTERWARDS. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSEDTHAT THE L ENG EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEADER ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE TURBOCHARGER, WAS CRACKED ALONG A WELD SEAM. ALSO REVEALED WAS THAT THE AILERON CABLES THAT ARE ROUTED BEIND THE L ENG WERE BURNED TO SEPARATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,249 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1986; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2B4 Newport RI at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,997 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from EWB, 1 miles away
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.