# Accident 20190920014529A: Cessna 208B, Pepperell, MA, September 20, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 20, 2019, 12:30 local time - Place: Pepperell, MA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.6969° N, 71.5489° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6969&lon=-71.5489&mi=10 - Aircraft: N895SF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N895SF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 208B (registry code 2073701, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B - Reported engine: P&W PT6A SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 3,840 total, 200 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA19TA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA278) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190920014529A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:30 UTC. N895SF, A CESSNA 208B, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL TO THE GRASS RUNWAY, RUNWAY 24 AT PEPPERELL, MA (26MA), THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN INCREASE IN SINK RATE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE SINK RATE EVEN AFTER POWER WAS APPLIED BECAUSE OF THE LAG TIME FOR THE AIRPLANE?S TURBINE ENGINE TO SPOOL UP. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON THE GRASS RUNWAY. WITNESS MARKS LEFT IN THE GRASS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GRASS RUNWAY ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSE WHEEL BEFORE BOUNCING BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME APPROXIMATELY 95 FEET FROM THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN POINT WHERE THE NOSE GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO COLLAPSE. WITNESS MARKS LEFT BY THE AIRCRAFTS PROPELLER INDICATE THE ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING POWER ON LANDING. ONCE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. WITNESS MARKS LEFT BY THE AIRCRAFT?S MAIN GEAR RELATIVE TO THE NOSE GEAR INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT SLID SIDEWAYS WITH THE NOSE TURNING TOWARD THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE PAVED RUNWAY AT 26MA AND THE RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED TREES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT?S RIGHT WINGTIP IMPACTING THE TREES, THE NOSE SWUNG HARD TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT WINGTIP IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 370 FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT INITIAL TOUCHDOWN POINT ON AN APPROXIMATE 360° HEADING WITH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. A POST-ACCIDENT FIRE OCCURRED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HOT EXHAUST ENCOUNTERED THE DRY LEAVES ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY AND USED THE AIRCRAFT?S FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION LOCATED AT BOIRE FIELD AIRPORT (ASH), APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, REPORTED THAT, ABOUT 34 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS FROM 320° AT 7 KNOTS, VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES, SKY CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 23°C, DEW POINT 08°C, AND THE ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.17 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION LOCATED AT BOIRE FIELD AIRPORT (ASH), APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, REPORTED THAT, ABOUT 26 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AT 3 KNOTS, VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES, SKY CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 24°C, DEW POINT 09°C, AND THE ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.15 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HIS FINAL APPROACH SPEED IN THE AIRCRAFT TO BE APPROXIMATELY 60-65 KIAS. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS BECAME INEFFECTIVE AND THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED OUT OF THE SKY FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 -20 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ADDED POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT DUE TO THE LAG OF THE TURBINE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ON HIS INITIAL TOUCH DOWN ON THE GRASS RUNWAY THEN, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE PILOT STATED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE SECOND TIME, THE AIRCRAFT?S NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE REST OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE WAS A BLUR UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (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 ERA19TA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19TA278), Sep 20, 2019: Cessna 208 (N895SF), Pepperell, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control when the airplane encountered a downdraft during landing approach, which resulted in a subsequent hard landing and gear collapse. ## Other reports on N895SF (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20200718004729I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200718004729I), Jul 18, 2020: Cessna 208B (N895SF), Killingly, CT, No damage, 1 fatal. Name of jumper: [privacy data omitted] Jumper experience: approximately 180 jumps. Main parachute: nexus model, s/n, nx 190-00009 Emergency parachute: not… - [Incident 20071016023699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071016023699I), Oct 16, 2007: Cessna 208B (N895SF), Lincoln, NE, No damage. (-23) On October 16, 2007 at 0716 CST, a Cessna 208B, N895SF operated by suburban air freight, inc. departed eppley airfield, omaha, Nebraska on a 14 CFR 135… - [Incident 20060419005529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060419005529I), Apr 19, 2006: Cessna 208B (N895SF), Omaha, NE. (-23) On April 19, 2006 at 0537 CST, a Cessna 208B, N895SF operated by suburban air freight, inc. departed Eppley Airfield, Omaha, Nebraska with the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- 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.