On Tuesday, September 17, a Cape Air flight was forced to return to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) due to a landing gear issue. The aircraft was then forced to land at the airport with a single landing gear deployed. The pilot completed the landing safely and the pilot and each of the two passengers were able to walk away from the landing without any injuries.
Landing gear incident
The Cape Air flight was flight number 1833, which was scheduled to depart Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in Massachusetts at approximately 14:30 local time and arrive at Hancock County Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) in Maine at 15:30 local time.
However, shortly after taking off, the flight crew noticed a warning that there was a landing gear anomaly. The pilot made plans to divert back to Boston Logan International Airport and began circling the aircraft. At approximately 15:15 local time, the aircraft attempted a landing with only one of its landing gear, the left side, deployed.
Photo: Wangkun Jia | Shutterstock
The skilled pilot touched down on the runway before spinning slightly and skidding to a halt near the edge of the runway. Emergency crews immediately met the plane on the runway. However, the pilot and two passengers were able to walk away from the aircraft without any injuries.
In a statement to NBC Boston, a Cape Air representative stated,
“The pilot performed the appropriate checklist and landed the aircraft back at Boston Logan Airport. There are no reported injuries.”
The Cape Air aircraft that was performing this flight was a Cessna 402C registered as N18VV. This aircraft was first built in 1981. However, it was acquired by Hyannis Air Service in July 2013, according to FlightAware. Hyannis Air Service is the operator for Cape Air.
Additionally, FL360aero reported that the involved aircraft, N18VV, had previously dealt with landing gear issues. According to FL360aero, this aircraft was involved in a runway excursion at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) in Missouri. Allegedly, the aircraft suffered a landing gear malfunction, which caused the aircraft to run off the runway in March 2014.
About the Cessna 402
The Cessna 402 is a popular twin-engine aircraft that was produced by Cessna from 1967 through 1985. This light aircraft was an upgraded variant of the Cessna 411. Cessna wanted to improve on the poor handling of the Cessna 411, as well as improve the maintenance qualities of the other twin-engine aircraft. The Cessna 402 was first certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January 1969, and it was officially introduced in 1967.
Photo: Wangkun Jia | Shutterstock
The Cessna 402 is powered by two turbocharged Continental engines, which provide the aircraft with around 300 horsepower each. These upgraded engines help the aircraft achieve the following performance specifications:
|
Maximum capacity |
Six passengers |
|---|---|
|
Length |
36 feet five inches |
|
Height |
11 feet six inches |
|
Wingspan |
44 feet two inches |
|
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) |
6,850 pounds |
|
Maximum speed |
231 knots (266 miles per hour) |
|
Range |
1,273 nautical miles (1,465 miles) |
|
Service ceiling |
26,900 feet |
Due to the capacity and MTOW of the Cessna 402, it has been a very popular choice for small regional airlines. Cape Air is the largest operator of the Cessna 402, which currently operates a fleet of over 60 Cessna 402s. These aircraft are mostly used throughout the Northeastern United States.