# NTSB ANC96LA084: Swearingen SA-26, N501FS, Galena, AK, June 5, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 5, 1996, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Galena, AK - Coordinates: 64.740318, -156.849212 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.7403&lon=-156.8492&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 20, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2848 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2848/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA084 ## Probable cause the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site. Factors associated with the accident were the soft and uneven airstrip conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - soft (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis The pilot was landing the two engine turboprop airplane on a rural airstrip that was created to support a mining operation. During rollout on the rough dirt strip, the airplane encountered a soft spot and veered to the left. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the propellers struck the ground. A postcrash fire started in the vicinity of the left engine and was subsequently extinguished by ground personnel. ## Factual narrative On June 5, 1996, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Swearingen SA-26 airplane, N501FS, registered to and operated by FS Air, Anchorage Alaska, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Illinois Creek mining airstrip, located about 80 miles southwest of Galena, Alaska. The solo airline transport certificated pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand cargo flight operated in visual meteorological conditions. According to witnesses, the airplane landed to the south on the dirt airstrip. During the landing roll, the airplane appeared to encounter a soft spot, veered to the left and went off the runway. The nose gear collapsed, and the propellers struck the ground. The left engine partially fragmented, with portions of the engine and/or propellers penetrating the fuselage. Additional damage was noted on the nose gear bulkhead structure. A postcrash fire in the vicinity of the left engine was extinguished by ground crew personnel using hand-held fire extinguisher. The pilot wrote in his statement to the NTSB: "On rollout, I applied power to help assist in taxi to the top of the runway. While taxiing the aircraft, it abruptly veered to the left and went off the runway". The pilot indicated on NTSB form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, that there was no preaccident mechanical malfunction with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N501FS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N501FS-1998-08-21), registration cancelled 1998-08-21, S/N T26146 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Swearingen SA-26 - Registry model: [Swearingen SA-26AT](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa-26at) (registry code 8780112) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T-26-146 - Airframe hours: 7720 - Engines: Garrett TPE331-1-151G 665 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Fs Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, May 23, 1996, 13 hours before - Departed: ANC, ANCHORAGE, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: Illinois Creek, runway 17, 4,480 × 100 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 7,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 12 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960605012889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960605012889A), Jun 5, 1996: Swrngn SA226AT, Galena, AK, Substantial damage. Taxied on runway after landing. Veered off,prop strike. Left engine fragmented. Debrie hit fuselage. Blamed soft spot ## Other investigations on N501FS (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 ANC98FA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA091), Jul 7, 1998: Swearingen SA-26AT (N501FS), St. George, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's failure to adequately monitor the instrument approach and the co-pilot's failure to intercept and maintain the proper NDB bearing on the approach. Contributing factors were the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.