Cessna 402C accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, November 19, 1994
On November 19, 1994 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N402BK, was destroyed in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Barnstable Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain a proper glide path during an ILS approach, which resulted in a collision with power lines. Factors in this accident were; adverse weather conditions with turbulence, down drafts and fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1994 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N402BK · registry record · serial 402C0223
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON AN ILS RUNWAY 15 APPROACH AND COLLIDED IN-FLIGHT WITH STATIC WIRES, APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE WIRES WERE LOCATED IN THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH, AND IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE LOCAL CONTROL TOWER WAS CLOSED. THREE OTHER AIRCRAFT MADE THE APPROACH PRIOR TO N402BK, AND THE PILOTS OF THOSE AIRCRAFT ALL AGREED THAT AT ABOUT 500 TO 700 FEET MSL, ON THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, THEY ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS AND TURBULENCE. ALL THE PILOTS AGREED, THE DOWNDRAFTS CAUSED THEIR AIRPLANES TO FALL BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE, AND THAT IN ORDER TO REJOIN THE GLIDE SLOPE, THEY HAD TO INCREASE POWER OR CHANGE THE AIRPLANE'S PITCH ATTITUDE. THE OTIS AIR NATIONAL GAURD BASE 2155 WEATHER OBSERVATION WAS; INDEFINITE CEILING 100 SKY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 3/4 MILES, LIGHT RAIN AND FOG, TEMPERATURE 59 DEGREES F, DEW POINT 58 DEGREES F, WIND 170 DEGREES, 14 KNOTS, GUST TO 19, ALTIMETER 29.96 INCHES HG.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,350 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,178 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 16, 1994; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Island Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ACK Nantucket MA at 2:22 am
- Destination: HYN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 5,249 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from FMH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.