History of Flight
On September 9, 2021, at about 1527 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402C, registration N88833, operated by Hyannis Air Service, Inc. d.b.a. Cape Air, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provincetown, Massachusetts. The pilot and six passengers were seriously injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.
The flight departed Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) at about 1504, destined for Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC). The pilot had obtained weather information before departure, including radar showing green bands of rain between BOS and PVC. He planned the ILS RWY 7 approach.
During the flight, the pilot checked the AWOS at least twice. He reported weather as 200 ft overcast, visibility 3 to 4 miles in moderate rain, and wind 5 knots or less from the southwest. The pilot accepted the ILS RWY 7 approach at 1511 and was cleared for it at 1513. The last communication before the accident was at 1521, when a controller advised canceling the flight plan on the ground.
Radar data showed the airplane crossed the final approach fix (FAF) at 1524 at about 2,000 ft msl. The pilot flew the approach with autopilot, extending flaps to 15° before the FAF, then lowering the landing gear. Inside the FAF, he turned off the autopilot at 1,000 ft and extended flaps to 20°-25°. He reported breaking out of clouds at 500 ft, then extended flaps to 45° at about 300 ft above ground. At 50-100 ft, the airplane encountered an aggressive sinking tendency and heavy rain; the pilot initiated a go-around. The airplane touched down for about 2 seconds before becoming airborne again. The pilot could not establish a positive climb rate, and the airplane impacted trees off the runway end, then the ground, and caught fire.
Airport surveillance cameras showed a different sequence: a normal landing with touchdown about 500 ft from the runway threshold, then the airplane rolled down the runway, became airborne near the end, entered a shallow climb, collided with trees, and caught fire. The windsock indicated a tailwind.
Passengers reported the airplane seemed too fast to stop. One passenger felt deceleration as brakes were applied, but the airplane did not slow down. The pilot then added power for a takeoff attempt as they neared the runway end.
Personnel Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiengine land rating, a commercial pilot certificate with single and multiengine land and instrument ratings, and a certified flight instructor certificate with multiengine and instrument ratings. His last FAA first-class medical was issued April 2, 2021. He had been employed by Cape Air for about 9 years and reported 17,617 total flight hours, including 10,000 hours in the Cessna 402C. He also held type ratings for Boeing 727 and Beech 1900.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 402C is a light twin piston-engine aircraft certified for single-pilot operations, powered by two 325 hp turbocharged Continental engines with three-blade constant-speed propellers. It was maintained under an FAA-approved inspection program; the last inspection was August 26, 2021. Total airframe time was 36,722 hours. The airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder.
Meteorological Information
A low-pressure system with a cold front was moving across Massachusetts, producing moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms. A convective SIGMET was active. IFR conditions existed at departure, and LIFR conditions at the time of the accident due to heavy rain and low ceilings. The HRRR sounding indicated an unstable atmosphere favorable for convection but low potential for non-convective low-level wind shear or microbursts. WSR-88D radar did not detect outflow boundaries or microbursts.
The AWOS at PVC reported wind from 200° at 5 knots at 1456, and from 210° at 10 knots at 1537. Continuous AWOS data showed tailwind components varied: 1-4 knots between departure and 1511, 1-7 knots between clearance and FAF, and 6-11 knots during the landing.
Airport Information
PVC is a noncontrolled commercial service airport with a single runway 7/25, 3,502 ft long by 100 ft wide, asphalt. Runway 7 had high-intensity runway lights, approach lighting with sequenced flashers, and a 4-light PAPI. Scheduled passenger operations involve airplanes with nine or fewer seats, so the airport was not required to have aircraft rescue and firefighting services per 14 CFR Part 139.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck a cluster of about 20-ft-tall pine trees about 660 ft from the runway end, crossed a road, impacted the ground and more trees on an approximate heading of 068°, and came to rest upright in a nose-low/tail-high attitude on a heading of about 300°. A post-impact fire consumed most of the left wing and part of the right wing. All major components were accounted for. Flight control continuity was established. The flap indicator showed 0°, and the flap handle was displaced toward 15° down; the right flap was fully retracted. Landing gear were down. The left main gear brake appeared unworn; the right main gear tire showed two oval-shaped melted areas consistent with multiple skid events. Both engines and airframe showed no mechanical deficiencies precluding normal operation.
Survival Aspects
The pilot and all six passengers sustained extensive burns, soft tissue damage, and bone fractures. All exited via the top-opening main cabin door (clamshell-style) at the rear left side, then jumped about 9.5 ft to the ground due to the airplane's attitude. Passengers reported no safety briefing before takeoff; some had difficulty operating exits. The pilot stated he gave a briefing covering destination, weather, seatbelts, emergency exits, life vests, and briefing cards.
Examination of the emergency exit window, main cabin door, seats, and restraints revealed no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal function. The crew door was damaged by fire and impact.
Tests and Research
An NTSB performance study used ADS-B and video data to analyze the approach, landing, and go-around. The airplane was slightly above the ILS glideslope at 1,100 ft msl, airspeed 129 KCAS, descending at 760 ft/min. At 660 ft msl, deceleration increased; at 600 ft, it exceeded the 1-dot glideslope. At 400 ft, sink rate briefly exceeded 1,000 ft/min. The pilot reported breaking out at 500 ft, but the glideslope exceedance at 600 ft suggests possible extension of flaps to 45° after breaking out earlier. The operator's GOM required a go-around if the approach was not stabilized below 1,000 ft in IMC. The performance data did not allow precise computation of braking friction on the wet runway.