Cessna 402B N8203Q

Summary

On 23 December 1998 at about 14:00 local time, a Cessna 402B registered N8203Q was involved in an accident near San Juan. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 December 1998 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

San Juan

Nearest airport

Luiz Munoz Marin Int'l (SJU)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 402B

Registration

N8203Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Croix → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99LA053

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft. The reason for the reported engine surging is undetermined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported both engines were surging during approach to land on runway 10 and the aircraft was oscillating about the vertical axis about 15-20 degrees. Using full right rudder he was able to maintain runway alignment and he lowered full wing flaps and reduced engine power to slow the aircraft. Passing over the end of the runway he reduced engine power further and the aircraft went to the left and crashed in the grass next to the runway. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed both propellers had damage consistent with powered rotation at the time of ground impact. Examination of the engines showed no evidence of failure or malfunction that would cause the surging reported by the pilot. No transmissions were received by the ATC tower from the pilot reporting malfunctions with the aircraft. The winds were from 080 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 22 knots at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.