Cessna 402B accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, February 4, 1989
On February 4, 1989 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N49PB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Barnstable Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN IMPROPER WEIGHT AND BALANCE (AFT CG). THE AFT CG ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNCOMMANDED ALTITUDE DEVIATION AFTER TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1989 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N49PB · registry record · serial 402B1361
- 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
NINE MEMBERS OF A VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM BOARDED THE ACFT W/O THE PLT GETTING ACCURATE PASSENGER WEIGHTS & THE BAGGAGE WAS PLACED IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AS THE PLT ENTERED THE CABIN & WAS CLOSING THE DOOR, THE TAIL OF THE ACFT FELL HARD TO THE RAMP. THE PLT RAISED THE TAIL & ELECTED TO CONT THE FLT. AFTER REBOARDING, HE TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY & BEGAN THE TAKEOFF. AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU APRX 200 TO 400 FT AGL, THE PLT ANNOUNCED THERE WAS A PROBLEM & ASKED THE PASSENGERS TO MOVE FORWARD. AT THAT TIME, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL & THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE PASSENGERS MOVED AS FAR FORWARD AS FEASIBLE & STAYED THERE UNTIL AFTER THE ACFT WAS LANDED. A POST-FLT EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED A STRINGER, REAR BULKHEAD, ELEVATOR CONTROL TUBE & THE HOUSING FOR THE TAIL NAVIGATION LIGHT WERE DAMAGED. NO BALLAST WAS INSTALLED IN THE FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. A RECALCULATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT & BALANCE, USING THE ACTUAL WEIGHTS OF THE PASSENGERS, REVEALED THE CENTER-OF-GRAVITY (CG) WAS BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,978 hours in all; 525 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 3, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spectrum Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: HYA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: ACK Nantucket MA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.