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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2010 · about 12:18 pm local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable Municipal · 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 · no longer on the register · 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 Witnesses stated that the landing gear was retracted during the entire approach and landing.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
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
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.