OpenAirDocs.org

20021204034159A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 402C · Lewisville, TX · December 4, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
December 4, 2002 · 06:16 local
Place
Lewisville, TX
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N402ME
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW03FA054
Reported as
Cessna 402C
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
N402MERegistration cancelled Mar 6, 2017 · Cessna 402CS/N 402C0010 · Built 1979Airframe modelCessna 402CEngine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On December 4, 2002, at approximately 0616 local time, a Cessna 402C multiengine airplane, N402ME, operated by tex star air freight inc., of denton, Texas, impacted the ground at approximately a 70 degree pitch angle during an uncontrolled descent in the vicinity of Lewisville, Texas. The flight originated from the denton municipal airport (dto in denton, Texas, at approximately 0611 LCL, and its intended destination was dallas love field, (dal) dallas, Texas. The commercial pilot, nicholas troy hibberd, pilot certificate no. 539829824, recieved fatal injuries. Mr hibberd was the sole occupant of the aircraft. The pilot reported problems with the attitude indicator and difficulty in maintaining heading to air traffic control shortly before the impact occurred. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was on file for the 14 CFR part 91 repositioning flight. Examination of the attitude indicator indicated that it was not functioning at the time of impact. This was the first flight following installation of the attitude indicator.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON DECEMBER 4, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 0616 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 402C MULTIENGINE AIRPLANE, N402ME, OPERATED BY TEX STAR AIR FREIGHT INC., OF DENTON, TEXAS, IMPACTED THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY A 70 DEGREE PITCH ANGLE DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT IN THE VICINITY OF LEWISVILLE, TEXAS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE DENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DTO IN DENTON, TEXAS, AT APPROXIMATELY 0611 LCL, AND ITS INTENDED DESTINATION WAS DALLAS LOVE FIELD, (DAL) DALLAS, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, NICHOLAS TROY HIBBERD, PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. 539829824, RECIEVED FATAL INJURIES. MR HIBBERD WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING HEADING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SHORTLY BEFORE THE IMPACT OCCURRED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOLLOWING INSTALLATION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW03FA054Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportLewisville, TXThe failure of the attitude indicator, and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control as a result of spatial disorientation following the failure of the attitude indicator. Contributing factors were a low ceiling, clouds, and dark night conditions.Dec 4, 2002 · Destroyed

Other reports on N402ME · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19980602024269IInitial Approach-IFR · Syracuse, NYRt engines oil pressure had dropped to 20PSI. Maintenance found metal contamination in filter.Jun 2, 1998Incident 19950207002799IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Buffalo, NYNarrative: on 2/7/95 at approx. 0745 EST, a Cessna 402, registration N402ME, being operated by business air, experienced a right main landing gear failure upon landing at Buffalo, NY. During the landing roll, the right main gear became unlocked and collapsed…Feb 7, 1995 · Minor damageIncident 19921001044589IFinal Approach-IFR · Utica, NYUnsafe nose gear light. Landed nose gear up. Found cracked hydraulic line. Emergency extension improperly rigged.Oct 1, 1992 · Minor damage