Cessna 402B accident near Spokane, Washington, December 27, 1985
On December 27, 1985 at about 10:49 am local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N4624N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Spokane Intn'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 27, 1985 · about 10:49 am local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Spokane Intn'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4624N · no longer on the register · serial 402B1376
- 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 PLT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING ICING CONDITIONS DURING HIS APCH TO SPOKANE. UPON ARRIVAL, THE ACFT REMAINED AT SPOKANE FOR 30-40 MINUTES DURING WHICH FREEZING DRIZZLE AND BELOW FREEZING TEMPS EXISTED PRIOR TO AND DURING THE DEPARTURE. THE PLT DID NOT UTILIZE THE MANUALLY OPERATED ALTERNATE AIR SYSTEM ABOARD THE ACFT AND AS A RESULT, COLD, MOIST AIR WAS ENTRAINED INTO THE SUBFREEZING FILTER CHAMBERS. THE GRADUAL BLOCKAGE OF AIR FROM ICE IN THE FILTERS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PWR ON BOTH ENGS. WITH SUFFICIENT PWR AVAILABLE THE PLT CHOSE TO EXECUTE AN INTENTIONAL FORCED LANDING. THE ACFT STRUCK AN ARPT PERIMETER FENCE DURING THE LANDING AND GROUND SLIDE.
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: 16,370 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 12,655 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 39,776 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Regional Express CO.
The flight
- Departed from: GEG Spokane WA at 10:48 am
- Destination: LWS Lewiston ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 am from GEG
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.