Cessna 402A accident near Albany, New York, April 7, 1991
On April 7, 1991 at about 11:00 am local time, a Cessna 402A, registered N104EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albany, New York (Albany County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE GEAR DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR TRUNION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1991 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Albany, New York · Albany County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402A · all 402As on the register
- Registration
- N104EC · no longer on the register · serial 0085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAXIING BEFORE TAKEOFF WHEN THE AIRPLANE 'BEGAN A GRADUAL RIGHT TURN.' HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IT VEERED OFF THE TAXIWAY ONTO THE GRASS. WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE WENT ONTO THE GRASS, THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED TO THE RIGHT AS THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE FAA FOUND, 'THE NOSE GEAR TRUNION WAS BROKEN AT THE RIGHT SIDE ATTACH POINT, CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND TEAR THE LEFT ATTACH POINT FROM THE WHEEL WELL.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1991; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northland Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.