# NTSB ANC95LA077: Cessna 402B, N710WS, Tuntutuliak, AK, June 12, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 12, 1995, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Tuntutuliak, AK - Coordinates: 60.409229, -162.649307 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.4092&lon=-162.6493&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 29, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2666 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2666/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA077 ## Probable cause THE AIRPORT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL'S INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE RUNWAY BY NOT REPLACING THE YELLOW CONES THAT MARKED THE SOFT AREA. THE SOFT AREA ON THE RUNWAY WAS A RELATED FACTOR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose gear collapsed, taxi - from landing - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - runway maintenance - inadequate, airport personnel (cause) - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis THE RUNWAY SURFACE HAD BEEN GRADED, AND SOFT GRADED MATERIAL HAD BEEN PUSHED INTO A SMALL DEPRESSION ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAXIING BACK TO THE RAMP, WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL ROLLED INTO THE DEPRESSION AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE SOFT AREA/DEPRESSION HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY MARKED WITH YELLOW CONES. THE CONES HAD BEEN REMOVED WHILE THE RUNWAY WAS BEING GRADED AND HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. NO NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED. THE ALASKA SUPPLEMENT STATED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS SOFT AND RUNWAY CONDITIONS WERE NOT MONITORED. ## Factual narrative On June 12, 1995, at 1530 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 402B airplane, N710WS, registered to and operated by the Watchtower Bible Organization and Tract Society, collapsed its nose gear while taxiing back after landing. The business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Good News, Alaska, and the destination was Tuntutuliak, Alaska. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airline transport certificated pilot and the three passengers were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. According to the Director of the Watchtower Bible Organization, who was also a passenger on the airplane, they were taxiing back to the ramp after landing. The runway had just been graded and a small depression in the runway's surface was filled with soft material. The airplane's nose gear rolled into the depression and the nose gear collapsed. The Director of the Watchtower Bible Organization stated that the soft area on the runway had been marked with yellow cones. He stated that the runway maintenance person told them the cones were removed so the runway surface could be graded. The cones had not been replaced. There were no NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) issued. The Alaska Supplement, however, states that runway conditions are not monitored and that a visual inspection is recommended. The supplement states that there are dips and ruts to 4 inches deep. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N710WS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N710WS-2009-08-18), registration cancelled 2009-08-18, S/N 402B0558, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 402B - Registry model: [Cessna 402B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402b) (registry code 207590P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402B0558 - Airframe hours: 2043 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Watchtower Bible And Tract Soc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 4, 1995, 100 hours before - Departed: BET, BETHEL, AK - Destination: AK61, AK - Airport: AK61, Tuntutuliak, runway 2, 1,800 × 75 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,500 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 9,900 as pilot in command, 127 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 10 knots - Visibility: 39 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950612017319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950612017319A), Jun 12, 1995: Cessna 402B, Tuntutuliak, AK, Substantial damage. Struck soft spot on back taxi after landing. Nose gear collapsed. Spot prior marked by yellow cones but removed. ## Other investigations on N710WS (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC03LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA065), Jun 9, 2003: Cessna 402B (N710WS), Telida, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear. A factor in the accident was a soft runway. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.