Cessna 402B accident near Bangor, Maine, February 1, 1988
On February 1, 1988 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N4175G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bangor, Maine (Banger Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- February 1, 1988 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bangor, Maine · Banger Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4175G · no longer on the register · serial 402B-1221
- 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 CREW RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, A POWER SURGE OCCURRED AFTER THE ACFT HAD CLIMBED ABOUT 400 TO 500 FT. THE COPLT SAW WHAT HE LATER SAID WAS A RIGHT FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATION & TOLD THE PLT (PIC) THAT THE RIGHT ENG WAS LOSING POWER. THE PIC TOLD THE COPLT TO SECURE THE ENG. ANTICIPATING NO SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE PIC INTENDED TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN & MAKE A SINGLE ENG LANDING. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINT SPEED WITHOUT DSCNDG & WAS FORCED TO LAND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT THRU A FENCE, CROSSED A RAILROAD TRACK & STOPPED ON A ROAD. DRG AN OPNL CHECK OF THE ENGS, THE RIGHT ENG STARTED & RAN NORMALLY. HOWEVER, THE LEFT ENG WAS DIFFICULT TO START & WOULD NOT RUN ABOVE 1000 RPM UNTIL ANOTHER FUEL METERING VALVE WAS INSTALLED. A TEARDOWN OF THE FAULTY METERING VALVE REVEALED CONTAMINATION FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. ALSO, THE LEFT FUEL PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE WAS FOUND TO BE 62 PSI. AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE ALTITUDE ANEROID CONTROL RETURNED THE PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE TO WITHIN THE MAX LIMIT OF 32.5 PSI.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,163 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PWM Portland ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 11,439 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from PWM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.