Cessna 402C incident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, July 26, 2010
On July 26, 2010 at about 12:18 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N26150, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Barnstable Municipal airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing flare and touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2010 · about 12:18 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N26150 · registry record · serial 402C0111
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner/operator said that he was on final approach as he slowed the airplane and incrementally increased the flap settings. He lowered the landing gear about the same time that he deployed the first 15 degrees of flaps, but made no mention of the landing gear lights having been illuminated. When the airplane was over the runway threshold, he added the last of the flaps, encountered turbulence, bounced, and the airplane then landed with the gear up and slid to a stop. Passengers in the airplane said that the airplane skidded to a stop after ground contact and did not bounce. Witnesses stated that the landing gear was retracted during the entire approach and landing. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was extended and retracted, with no deficiencies noted. Examination revealed that the main landing gear showed no scratches, scrapes, or any other evidence of abnormal contact with the runway. The pilot then suggested that he must have struck the landing gear handle with his knee when the airplane bounced, which retracted the gear before the second touchdown. Contrary to specific instructions from the investigative team, the pilot removed the landing gear switch from the airplane without supervision or government oversight. Subsequent examination of the switch revealed that the detent mechanism of the switch was severely worn, and that the wear and tool marks were consistent with the switch having been gripped by a tool, and smeared back and forth over the detent, rather than lifted as designed. Further, the tool marks were evident in areas that would normally be covered by the landing gear switch handle when installed, and also having slipped while smearing the switch over the detent.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,580 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 25, 2010; 20 hours since
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nantucket Shuttle, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ACK Nantucket MA at 12:05 pm
- Destination: HYA Hyannis MA
- Runway 33, 5,253 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from HYA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on March 25, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Form Memorandum | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Passenger Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 10-079 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo #1: View of Airplane Wreckage (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Photo #2: View of Underside of Wreckage (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N26150 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 402 174 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER 4,110 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER 4,110 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Cape Cod Gateway Airport · nearest airport
- Nantucket Memorial · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Massachusetts 987 since 1982 · 90 in the last ten years
- Massachusetts 2,646 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA10IA378.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.