N524CA

N524CA is a Cessna 401/402, a twin-engine piston aircraft operated by HYANNIS AIR SERVICE INC DBA, CAPE AIR. SkyMeter has tracked 2,248 flights totalling 1,730 hours of airtime via ADS-B across 177 callsigns. The most frequent segment is KBOS to 2B1. Service window in our records spans 403 days. Of those flights, 122 (5.4%) carry at least one detected incident — go-around, unstable approach, stall warning, or runway excursion. The Cessna 401/402 has a 44 ft wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 6,300 lb.

About the Cessna 401/402

The Cessna 402 is a twin-engine piston utility aircraft that became the workhorse of American commuter aviation from the 1960s onward, bridging the gap between light singles and turbine equipment for short-haul scheduled service. Introduced in 1966 as a pressurization-delete derivative of the Cessna 401, the 402 was purpose-built for cargo and passenger operations where simplicity and operating economics mattered more than cabin comfort. Cessna produced the type in multiple variants through 1985, with the 402C Businessliner and Utiliner becoming the most common configurations—seating up to nine passengers or hauling freight in a cabin accessible through a large aft cargo door.

Powered by twin Continental TSIO-520 engines producing 300 horsepower each, the 402 cruises around 190 knots and operates comfortably from runways under 3,000 feet, making it ideal for island-hopping routes and rural Essential Air Service contracts where larger aircraft cannot economically serve thin markets. Its rugged landing gear, straightforward systems, and relatively forgiving handling characteristics earned it a reputation as a reliable if unglamorous performer in the hands of regional carriers and air taxi operators. While newer turboprops have displaced the 402 from many scheduled routes, the type remains active in cargo, charter, and specialized roles where its combination of payload flexibility, short-field capability, and low acquisition cost still make sense.

SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators over routes, with the largest observed operator.