Hyannis - Nantucket
Flight / Schedule
Hyannis - Nantucket
Aircraft
Cessna 402Registration
N87PB
MSN
402C-0639
Year of Manufacture
1982
Operator
Provincetown-Boston Airline - PBADate
April 12, 1987 at 11:15 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Hyannis-Barnstable Massachusetts
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
41.6535°, -70.2823°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On April 12, 1987 at 11:15 AM, Hyannis - Nantucket experienced a crash involving Cessna 402, operated by Provincetown-Boston Airline - PBA, with the event recorded near Hyannis-Barnstable Massachusetts.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
9 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 9 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 8, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after the initial power reduction during takeoff, the pilot noted a partial loss of power in the right engine. He said he 'went to full power on both engines' and noted an 'extremely high' fuel flow indication to the right engine. He said, 'thinking that the engine was flooding, I placed the boost pump switch from high to off to possibly eliminate the problem with no result. I then placed the pump back to high and tried to decrease the fuel flow by leaning the mixture. This also did not seem to eliminate the problem.' While troubleshooting the problem, he turned to a downwind and stayed in the traffic pattern, but could not maint altitude. Subsequently, a wheels-up landing was made in an area of small trees approximately 1/2 mile before reaching runway 24. An examination of the right engine revealed the spark plugs were wet with fuel and black with soot. Also, its #5 fuel nozzle had been cross-threaded and was knocked out of its hole during impact. During an initial test, the right fuel pressure sensing switch did not sense operating pressure (over 6 psi); this would have resulted in a high boost/fuel flow condition. Later, the switch was tested ok. All nine occupants escaped uninjured.
Aircraft reference details include registration N87PB, MSN 402C-0639, year of manufacture 1982.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.6535°, -70.2823°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
Shortly after the initial power reduction during takeoff, the pilot noted a partial loss of power in the right engine. He said he 'went to full power on both engines' and noted an 'extremely high' fuel flow indication to the right engine. He said, 'thinking that the engine was flooding, I placed the boost pump switch from high to off to possibly eliminate the problem with no result. I then placed the pump back to high and tried to decrease the fuel flow by leaning the mixture. This also did not seem to eliminate the problem.' While troubleshooting the problem, he turned to a downwind and stayed in the traffic pattern, but could not maint altitude. Subsequently, a wheels-up landing was made in an area of small trees approximately 1/2 mile before reaching runway 24. An examination of the right engine revealed the spark plugs were wet with fuel and black with soot. Also, its #5 fuel nozzle had been cross-threaded and was knocked out of its hole during impact. During an initial test, the right fuel pressure sensing switch did not sense operating pressure (over 6 psi); this would have resulted in a high boost/fuel flow condition. Later, the switch was tested ok. All nine occupants escaped uninjured.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
8
Estimated Survivors
9
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 9
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Hyannis - Nantucket
Operator
Provincetown-Boston Airline - PBAFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
Aircraft Details
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