Beech 1900D accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, January 22, 1999
On January 22, 1999 at about 10:19 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N215CJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Barnstable Muni airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's improper placement of the power levers in the BETA position, while the airplane was inflight. Factors were the fog and dusk conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1999 · about 10:19 pm local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N215CJ · no longer on the register · serial UE-215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At dusk, with a 100-foot ceiling in fog, the captain of the Beech 1900D had performed two missed approaches to the airport. On the third approach, both the captain and first officer visually acquired the runway. The first officer said the captain lined the airplane up with the runway centerline and requested landing flaps. The first officer further stated, '...the aircraft floated at appr. 20' [feet] over the runway at a normal transition when I heard the captain taking the power levers over the 'FI [flight idle] gate' by the sound of the engine/props.' This placed the propellers in the 'BETA' range. The airplane then started to sink, and the captain pulled back on the control yoke. The main landing gear struck the ground and were fractured during the +2.9G touchdown, which occurred about 2,500 feet beyond the approach end of the 5,252 foot long runway. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, about 4,700 feet beyond the approach end, and stopped. To place the throttles in BETA, it was necessary to lift the power levers over the flight idle stop. Examination of the flight manual revealed a warning: 'Do not lift power levers in flight.'
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: 10,202 hours in all; 6,333 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 6,900 as pilot in command; 3,302 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,501 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 28, 1998; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,950 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT61-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: HYA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 5,252 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:19 pm 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.