Cessna 414A accident near Seattle, Washington, July 3, 1993
On July 3, 1993 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N4735A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington (Boeing Field/ King County). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE GEAR DOWN-LOCK MECHANISM DUE TO CORROSION AND THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1993 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Boeing Field/ King County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N4735A · no longer on the register · serial 414A0090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVAL AT HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION, THE PILOT CYCLED THE GEAR SIX TIMES, BUT THE GREEN GEAR-DOWN LIGHT FOR THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. AFTRER USING THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION SYSTEM TO BLOW THE GEAR DOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR-DOWN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT MADE AN INSPECTION OF THE GEAR, BUT DID NOT CONTACT HIS COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONAL OR USE AN EXTERNAL LOCK TO HOLD THE GEAR IN A DOWN-AND-LOCKED POSITION. HE THEN DEPARTED FOR HIS FINAL DESTINATION, LEAVING THE GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. CORROSION AND SCORING OF THE METAL WAS FOUND INSIDE THE DOWN-LOCK TUBE WERE THE TEETH OF THE DOWN-LOCK MECHANISM SLIDE INTO THE ENGAGED POSITION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 7,350 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1993; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S52 Winthrop WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.