Cessna 402B accident near Pasco, Washington, November 15, 2001
On November 15, 2001 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N910WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pasco, Washington (Tri-Cities Airport). It was an other work-use 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
the pilot's failure to keep the aircraft from touching down short of the displaced threshold, and his failure to maintain directional control after the aircraft's left main gear tire deflated as a result of impacting the lip at the beginning of the subject threshold. Factors include the deflation of the main gear tire, and soft terrain near the side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2001 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pasco, Washington · Tri-Cities Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N910WT · registry record · serial 402B0392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to make its initial touchdown on the two inch-high lip of the displaced threshold. As the left main gear tire impacted this lip, it began to rapidly lose air and go flat. As the landing roll continued, the aircraft started to veer to the left, and the pilot was unable to keep it from departing the side of the runway. After it departed the runway, the aircraft's left main gear encountered soft terrain and experienced an overload collapse.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 3,600 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,961 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2001; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 10:40 pm
- Destination: PSC Pasco WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 7,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N910WT 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.