Mechanical woes ground Cape Air fleet

Cape Air, the regional airline that flies between Cape Cod and the Islands, as well as in and out of Logan International Airport, has grounded its fleet of Cessna 402s after its third recent engine failure occurred yesterday, aviation sources said.

The Hyannis-based airline, which flies as many as 850 flights per day during the busy summer season, will cease all operations until tomorrow afternoon in order to inspect all of its aircraft, sources said.

The move came after a Cape Air flight, descending into Boston about 3:45 p.m. yesterday, experienced a left engine failure. Sources say an ``Alert 2'' was called at Logan, meaning rescue officials were notified, but the plane landed safely.

Aviation sources say it was the third recent incident involving Cape Air aircraft, which boasts a fleet of more than 50 Cessna twin-engine 402s, which typically fly nine passengers.

Cape Air officials could not be reached last night.

Aviation sources said Cape Air made the move voluntarily. They said the problems may have stemmed from an engine part.

Sources suggested that could lead the Federal Aviation Administration to take a wider look at the Cessna 402.

Cape Air flew its first flight, between Boston and Provincetown, in 1989, according to the airline's Web site.

Last year, it carried more than 650,000 passengers and bills itself as the largest independent regional airline in the country. More recently, it's added service to the Caribbean and South Florida.

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