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19971219039199A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Swrngn SA-226T · Byers, CO · December 19, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 19, 1997 · 20:17 local
Place
Byers, CO
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N950TT
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98FA073
Reported as
Swrngn SA226T
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
3,316 total479 in this make and model27 in the last 90 days
N950TTRegistration cancelled Jul 21, 1998 · Swearingen SA-226TS/N T225Airframe modelSwearingen SA-226T

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(Tty) pilot reported a stall and acft crashed. Pilot suffered fatal inj. Acft was destroyed. Byers, CO. (.4)the pilot departed front range airport (elevation 5512 feet) at approximately 2008, climbed to 7,000 feet MSL, accelerated to 270 knots, and requested his IFR clearance. Weather at the time of N950TT'S departure was 500 feet overcast; witnesses reported the tops of the thin cloud condition were 8,500 feet MSL and it was very dark on top (no stars or moon). The pilot made several changes in airspeed and climb rate until radar indicated that he had entered an 8,500 fpm decent. The pilot reported to ATC that he had 'stalled' the airplane. Radar indicated that he then climbed at 7,500 fpm until his estimated airspeed was 10 knots, and then subsequently descended again at 8,400 fpm until he impacted the frozen ground. The pilot had flown 4 times for 7 hours in the previous 40 days. Five airline pilots, each of who had 3,000 to 5,000 hours in swearingens, stated individually that even though the airplane is single pilot certified, they believed that 'its a two pilot airplane--because the work load is too high.'

As the FAA filed it

(TTY) PILOT REPORTED A STALL AND ACFT CRASHED. PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJ. ACFT WAS DESTROYED. BYERS, CO. (.4)THE PILOT DEPARTED FRONT RANGE AIRPORT (ELEVATION 5512 FEET) AT APPROXIMATELY 2008, CLIMBED TO 7,000 FEET MSL, ACCELERATED TO 270 KNOTS, AND REQUESTED HIS IFR CLEARANCE. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF N950TT'S DEPARTURE WAS 500 FEET OVERCAST; WITNESSES REPORTED THE TOPS OF THE THIN CLOUD CONDITION WERE 8,500 FEET MSL AND IT WAS VERY DARK ON TOP (NO STARS OR MOON). THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL CHANGES IN AIRSPEED AND CLIMB RATE UNTIL RADAR INDICATED THAT HE HAD ENTERED AN 8,500 FPM DECENT. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE HAD 'STALLED' THE AIRPLANE. RADAR INDICATED THAT HE THEN CLIMBED AT 7,500 FPM UNTIL HIS ESTIMATED AIRSPEED WAS 10 KNOTS, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY DESCENDED AGAIN AT 8,400 FPM UNTIL HE IMPACTED THE FROZEN GROUND. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN 4 TIMES FOR 7 HOURS IN THE PREVIOUS 40 DAYS. FIVE AIRLINE PILOTS, EACH OF WHO HAD 3,000 TO 5,000 HOURS IN SWEARINGENS, STATED INDIVIDUALLY THAT EVEN THOUGH THE AIRPLANE IS SINGLE PILOT CERTIFIED, THEY BELIEVED THAT 'ITS A TWO PILOT AIRPLANE--BECAUSE THE WORK LOAD IS TOO HIGH.'

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98FA073Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportByers, COThe pilot inadvertently stalling the airplane and his subsequent spatial disorientation which prevented him from maintaining airplane control. Factors were excessive workload on the pilot and the dark night light conditions.Dec 20, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N950TT · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19940915036689INormal Cruise · Midland, TXFire warning light. Secured engine. Diverted Midland. Loose clamp caused fire light to illiminate.Sep 15, 1994