Cessna 402 Safety Record

Company maintenance personnel’s failure to comply with the airplane manufacturer’s service instructions by not removing the cracked drag brace from service nor inspecting the repaired drag brace at the appropriate interval, which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear drag brace due to fatigue cracking and collapse of the nose landing gear during the landing roll. Contributing to the failure of the nose landing gear drag brace was the failure of the repair station to detect a remaining portion of a crack following repair.

The failure of the right main fuel tank transfer pump, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on the right engine during approach due to fuel starvation, and a subsequent hard landing. Contributing to the incident was the pilot's operation of the airplane with a low fuel quantity.

The airplane manufacturer’s inadequate inspection procedures, resulting in the undetected fatigue cracking of the right upper barrel and trunnion assembly.

The pilot's decision to continue the approach with a known anomaly with the left airspeed indicator. Contributing to the accident was an undetermined malfunction of the left airspeed indicator and the condition of the runway, resulting in decreased braking capability.

The pilot's decision to depart on a snow covered runway, which resulted in a loss of control and encounter with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the airport manager's failure to adhere to the Airport Certification Manual and close the runway due to unsafe snow accumulation.

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather and icing conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the accumulation of airframe ice and the strong, gusting crosswinds.

The pilot's failure to recognize that both engines were being supplied fuel only from the right main fuel tank, resulting in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power from both engines. Contributing to the incident were the pilot's inability to properly position the left fuel selector valve and the airplane operator's misinterpretation of the manufacturer's service recommendations to lubricate the fuel selector detents.

The airplane manufacturer's inadequate inspection procedure resulting in undetected fatigue cracking of the main landing gear barrel of the upper barrel and trunnion assembly.

A loss of power to both engines resulting from a fitting failure and leak at the right fuel selector valve that allowed fuel from the right tank to be lost overboard, and that then introduced air into the left engine's fuel lines during an attempted cross-feed operation.

The failure of the right main landing gear linkage during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and the collapse of the right main landing gear. A factor associated with the accident was the failure of company maintenance personnel to comply with a maintenance service letter issued by the airplane manufacturer.

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with an airport runway sign, and subsequent collapse of the nose gear. A factor contributing to the accident was a thunderstorm.

The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude, which led to him landing short of the runway and impacting the runway's elevated lip. Contributing factors were the elevated runway lip and the right main landing gear failure.

The improper installation and securing of the elevator trim tab push-rod attaching hardware by maintenance personal resulting in the rod disconnecting and a partial separation of the right elevator in flight.