Cessna 402B accident near Wenatchee, Washington, July 29, 1995
On July 29, 1995 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N51816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Memorial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
IMPROPER INSTALLATION (FAILURE TO INSTALL COTTER KEY) BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1995 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N51816 · registry record · serial 402B0816
- 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 ELEVATOR TRIM JAMMED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, WHILE HOLDING ABOUT 150 POUNDS OF BACK PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL WHEEL. WHEN HE MOVED ONE HAND TO THE THROTTLES TO REDUCE THE POWER, HE WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE NOSE UP, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 300 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD FAILED TO INSTALL A COTTER KEY, AND THE TRIM TAB PUSH ROD ATTACHMENT BOLT, NUT, AND COTTER KEY WERE MISSING.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,162 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 5, 1995; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAT at 4:00 am
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from EAT
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.