Cessna 402 N18VV

Summary

On 17 September 2024 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 402 registered N18VV, operated by Hyannis Air Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Boston, Massachusetts, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 2024 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

General Edward Lawrence Logan (BOS)

Coordinates

42.3682, -71.0090

Aircraft

Cessna 402

Registration

N18VV

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

2

Operator

Hyannis Air Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Bar Harbor

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA386

Nobody was injured.

The failure of a solid hydraulic fluid line, which resulted in a loss of hydraulic fluid that prevented the landing gear extension process from completing normally. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s failure to fully activate the emergency landing gear extension system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during climb out, he noticed a flicker of both the left and right hydraulic flow lights. He thought the airplane was losing hydraulic pressure, so he tried to extend the landing gear before all pressure was lost. Only the left main landing gear position green light illuminated. The hydraulic flow lights then illuminated steadily. He returned to the airport and performed the emergency landing gear extension checklist; however, the right and nose landing gear did not extend, and he landed with only the left main landing gear extended. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a solid hydraulic line connected to the hydraulic filter was fractured and the system contained no hydraulic fluid. It is likely that the fracture of the hydraulic line and the subsequent loss of hydraulic fluid resulted in the partial landing gear extension. A review of the airplane’s maintenance records could not determine the age of the hydraulic line or if any maintenance had been performed on the hydraulic line. Postaccident testing of the emergency landing gear extension system revealed that if functioned normally when the activation handle was fully extended. Based on this information, it is likely the pilot did not pull the emergency handle out far enough to activate the system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.