# NTSB CEN10CA261: Swearingen SA-226AT, N427SP, West Memphis, AR, May 19, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 19, 2010, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: West Memphis, AR - Coordinates: 35.134998, -90.234443 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1350&lon=-90.2344&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 76064 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA261 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76064/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76064 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA261 ## Probable cause Failure of both pilots to ensure that the airplane was properly configured for landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Swearingen SA-226AT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md?model=8780405), [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Swearingen SA-226AT, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=8780405), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The two airline transport pilots were conducting a full-stop landing at their home airport. The pilot in the left seat was flying the airplane and the pilot in the right seat was conducting an Initial Operating Experience (IOE) assessment. The airplane was put on a 5 to 8 mile final as the pilot read and quickly completed the checklist. The airplane was configured with full flaps and when the pilot went to actuate the landing gear he diverted his attention to his deteriorating airspeed and glide path deviation. The pilot made the necessary correction to stabilize the approach. At 500 feet above the ground, the pilot glanced over to the gear indicator and thought he saw "three down." The pilot continued the approach and the airplane landed with the gear in the retracted position. Neither pilot reported hearing the gear warning horn which should have actuated when the pilot selected greater than half flaps and the gear was not properly configured. ## Factual narrative The two airline transport pilots were conducting a full-stop landing at their home airport. The airplane was put on a 5 to 8 mile final as the pilot read and quickly complete the checklist. The airplane was configured with full flaps and when the pilot went to actuate the landing gear he diverted his attention to his deteriorating airspeed and glidepath deviation. The pilot made the necessary correction to stabilize the approach. At 500 feet above the ground, the pilot glanced over to the gear indicator and thought he saw "three down." The pilot continued the approach and the airplane landed with the gear in the retracted position. Neither pilot reported hearing the gear warning horn. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N427SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N427SP-2010-10-21), registration cancelled 2010-10-21, S/N AT018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA-226AT - Registry model: [Swearingen SA-226AT](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa-226at) (registry code 8780405) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AT018 - Airframe hours: 9316.1 - Engines: Garrett TPE331-3U-303 840 horsepower turbo prop; Garrett TPE331-3U-303 840 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Mcneely Charter Service Inc, doing business as Mcneely Charter Service Inc - Registered owner: River City Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 14, 2010, 45 hours before - Departed: KOPF, Miami, FL - Destination: KAWM, West Memphis, AR - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KAWM, West Memphis Municipal, runway 35, 6,003 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 25, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 7,400 total, 46 in this make and model, 7,161 as pilot in command, 46 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 30, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 13,422 total, 6,368 in this make and model, 13,222 as pilot in command, 94 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KAWM ## 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 20100519005629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100519005629A), May 19, 2010: Swearingen SA-226AT, West Memphis, AR, Substantial damage. On may 19, 2010, at 1715 CDT, an SA-226, N247SP, landed on runway 35, at the West Memphis Municipal Airport (awm), with the landing gear in the retracted… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76064. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (left seat pilot) (item 1, .PDF, 513 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330569&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(left%20seat%20pilot)-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (right seat pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 502 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330570&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(right%20seat%20pilot)-Redacted.PDF 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.