# Accident 19971219039199A: Swrngn SA226T, Byers, CO, December 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 19, 1997, 20:17 local time
- Place: Byers, CO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7100° N, 104.2205° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7100&lon=-104.2205&mi=10
- Aircraft: N950TT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N950TT-1998-07-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Swearingen SA-226T (registry code 8780122, https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa-226t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWRNGN SA226T
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 3,316 total, 479 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA073) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971219039199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(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.'

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA073), Dec 20, 1997: Swearingen SA226-T (N950TT), Byers, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

## Other reports on N950TT (1)

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

- [Incident 19940915036689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940915036689I), Sep 15, 1994: Swrngn SA226T (N950TT), Midland, TX. Fire warning light. Secured engine. Diverted Midland. Loose clamp caused fire light to illiminate.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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