Cessna 402 accident near Barre Plains, Massachusetts, April 26, 2018
On April 26, 2018 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 402, registered N87266, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Barre Plains, Massachusetts (Tanner-Hiller airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to land with a tailwind, which resulted in a touchdown with insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2018 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Barre Plains, Massachusetts · Tanner-Hiller · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 B, built 1976 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N87266 · no longer on the register · serial 402B1097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a local, personal flight. The pilot reported that he checked the weather conditions at three local airports before the flight but stated that he did not trust the wind reports. He added that he did not get a preflight weather briefing. Once at the destination airport, he conducted two go-arounds due to gusting wind conditions. During the third attempted landing, he made a steep approach at a normal approach speed and flared the airplane about midway down the 3,000-ft-long runway. The airplane floated down the runway for much longer than the pilot expected before touching down. Despite applying maximum braking, there was insufficient remaining runway to stop, and the airplane skidded off the runway, impacted trees, and subsequently caught fire, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. The wind conditions reported at an airport located about 13 miles away included a tailwind of 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots. Given the tailwind conditions reported at this airport and the pilot's description of the approach and landing, it is likely that the pilot conducted the approach to the runway in a tailwind that significantly increased the airplane's groundspeed, which resulted in a touchdown with insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane, even with maximum braking.
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 area overshoot during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 330 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 6,301 lb
- 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
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8B5 Barre Plains MA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 8B5 Barre Plains MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,027 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from ORH, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 5, 2019. 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's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record – Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record – FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Passenger Statements | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Owner and Manager Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Pilot's Logbook | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.