Casualties unknown

Landing Incident Results in Wing Damage After Runway Short Landing (N402CA)

Sandpoint, ID, US

On October 21, 2005, a Cessna 402B (registration N402CA) was involved in an aviation accident near Sandpoint, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported a normal approach with flaps at 45 degrees before a hard landing that caused the right wing to drop, striking a runway light and damaging the wingtip tank and aileron. Witnesses observed the airplane land short of the runway and bounce.

Incident Description

The pilot stated that the flight was normal and that he extended the flaps to 45 degrees on one-half mile final for landing. Soon after touchdown, the right wing slowly began to fall to the ground. Subsequently, the right wingtip fuel tank impacted a runway light, which compromised the tank. Additionally, the right aileron received a deep gouge, and the outboard bottom of the wing was damaged. There was no post-landing fire.

Passenger Account

The pilot-certificated passenger reported that the pilot said to him while on final approach, "watch me make the first taxiway [1,342 feet]." The passenger further stated that "the approach looked really slow." He described the resulting landing as "joltingly hard" and said he was not sure if they had hit something. After the right wing was down on the runway, he saw fuel draining from the right tip tank, and after the airplane came to rest, he exited through the rear door.

Witness Observations

A construction employee acting as a ground traffic-safety person at the approach end to runway 01 observed the airplane land in the dirt, short of the runway. She said it looked like the airplane landed "very hard" and then bounced into the air. One of the fixed base operations employees stated that he saw the airplane on a steep final approach. He lost sight of the airplane behind a building but then saw the airplane perform its "second landing." The employee noted that the approach end to runway 01 has a 1 to 2 inch lip from the terrain to the surface of the runway.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20051116X01843. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.