# NTSB IAD97IA045: Cessna 402C, N121PB, Provincetown, MA, January 25, 1997 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: January 25, 1997, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Provincetown, MA - Location: 42.0723° N, 70.2207° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PROVINCETOWN MUNI (PVC), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0723&lon=-70.2207&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28145 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD97IA045 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28145/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97IA045 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate inflight planning/decision, and his misjudgment of speed and distance. Related factors were: fog, tailwind, and soft terrain on the overrun area at the end of the runway. ## Analysis The pilot reported that during an ILS Runway 7 Approach, he acquired the runway at 250 feet above the ground level, and performed a normal touchdown. After touchdown, the airplane continued down the 3,500 foot runway, and went off the end onto a soft overrun area, where the right main gear collapsed. The published decision height for the ILS approach was 208 feet. The 1335 EDT weather at the airport was reported, in part, to be 100 foot overcast, visibility 1/2 mile with fog, wind from 220 degrees at 15 knots. ## Factual narrative On January 25, 1997, at 1400 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402C, N121PB, registered to Hyannis Air Service Inc., of Hyannis, Massachusetts, doing business as Cape Air 1088, sustained minor damage when it overran the runway during landing at the Provincetown Airport, Provincetown, Massachusetts. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed. The certificated airline transport pilot and four passengers were not injured. The scheduled commuter flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135, and originated in Boston, Massachusetts, at 1330. The pilot reported that he checked the destination weather twice, once before departure, and the second prior to commencing the ILS 7 approach. He executed the approach, and made a normal touchdown. During the rollout, he experienced a strong, sudden, quartering tailwind, with wind gusts of approximately 20 knots. He said: "...The gust of wind carried the airplane down the runway instantaneously precluded a go-around and rendered braking ineffective. I employed maximum braking technique to bring the aircraft to a stop... ." The airplane then exited the runway onto the soft overrun area, and the right main gear collapsed. One of the passengers said, "...[when] the airplane touched down it seemed to veer a bit from side to side. It didn't slow down, and suddenly we were out of runway... ." The witness said it was very foggy. The pilot said he acquired the runway at approximately 250 feet AGL. He said the runway was wet, and there was patchy standing water. The weather briefing the pilot received prior to commencing the approach stated the winds were from 220 degrees at 12 knots. He said he was within the aircraft limitations, and the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) reports showed the winds began to gust after his normal approach and touchdown. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector reported that the airplane had touched down about 700 feet down the 3,498 foot long runway. The decision height for the ILS was 208 feet AGL. The Provincetown 1355 AWOS, reported winds from 220 degrees at 15 knots; visibility, 1/2 mile in fog; ceiling, 100 feet; temperature,43 degrees Fahrenheit (F); dewpoint, 43 F; and altimeter, 29.67 Hg. Five days after the accident, the airline issued parameters for arrivals and departures from the airport, which included landing with a maximum tailwind of 10 knots. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway overrun area - soft (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N121PB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N121PB-2023-12-10), registration cancelled 2023-12-10, S/N 402C0507, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 402C - Registry model: [Cessna 402C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c) (registry code 207590R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402C0507 - Airframe hours: 13021 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-VB 325 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Hyannis Air Service, doing business as Cape Air - Registered owner: Hyannis Air Service Inc., - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, January 23, 1997, 6 hours before - Departed: BOS, BOSTON, MA - Destination: PVC, MA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: PVC, Provincetown Muni, runway 7, 3,498 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; flight instructor, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,400 total, 600 in this make and model, 4,700 as pilot in command, 130 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 15 knots - Visibility: 0.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft overcast - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PVC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 19970125000799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970125000799I), Jan 25, 1997: Cessna 402C, Provincetown, MA, Minor damage. Overran runway landing. Low ceiling fog standing water and 15 knot tailwind factors. Hdroplaned. ## Other investigations on N121PB (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 ERA10LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA128), Feb 1, 2010: Cessna 402C (N121PB), Watertown, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue the approach with a known anomaly with the left airspeed indicator. Contributing to the accident was an undetermined malfunction of the left airspeed indicator and… 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.