Cessna 402B accident near Seattle, Washington, August 31, 1989
On August 31, 1989 at about 1:19 am local time, a Cessna 402B, registered CGRKR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington (Seattle-Tacoma Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under foreign airline rules (Part 129). 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 LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK MECHANISM FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1989 · about 1:19 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Seattle-Tacoma Intl · 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
- CGRKR · no longer on the register · serial 402B1354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST JUST OFF THE RUNWAY EDGE. THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK RUPTURED AND IGNITED THE FUEL. UPON INSPECTION OF THE GEAR MECHANISM IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DOWN LOCK LINK BROKE IN THE THREADED AREA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 234 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,864 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 20, 1989; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: YUR Vancouver OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16R, 9,425 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:33 am from SEA
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.