Cessna 303 accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, February 3, 1988
On February 3, 1988 at about 3:05 am local time, a Cessna 303, registered N5461V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Hyannis airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1988 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Hyannis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 303
- Registration
- N5461V · registry record · serial T30300300
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 303 BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND MADE A LONG LANDING ON A 5567 FT RUNWAY. TIRE MARKS SHOWED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH LESS THAN 2000 FT OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE LANDING RUNWAY WAS 24 AND THE WINDS WERE FROM 360 DEGREES AT 8 KTS. THE RUNWAY SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH SLUSH APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH DEEP. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. THE PIC WAS OVERHEARD INSTRUCTING THE LEFT SEAT PILOT TO 'GET IT DOWN.'
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1987; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AE (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hyannis Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: No.Philadelphia PA at 1:20 am
- Destination: Hyannis MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 5,567 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 am from HYA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.