# NTSB DCA83AA009: Swearingen SA-226TC, N126AV, Chantilly, VA, December 7, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: December 7, 1982, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Chantilly, VA
- Location: 38.9445° N, 77.4558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9445&lon=-77.4558&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 7, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 70193
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA83AA009
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/70193/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA83AA009

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,gear warning system - disabled (contributing factor)
  - gear extension - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - wheels up landing - inadvertent, pilot in command

## Analysis

APPROACHING THE ARPT THE FLT WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO RWY 01L & CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 2,000 FT. THE CONTROLLER REQUESTED THAT THE PLT EXPEDITE THE DESCENT THROUGH 3,000 FT. THE FIRST OFFICER, WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, REQUESTED THE GEAR DOWN.THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE DID NOT SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER PLACING THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN BUT THOUGHT HE DID. THE FIRST OFFICER STATED THAT HE DID NOT LOOK AT THE GEAR HANDLE OR INDICATORS. THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT WHEN THE PROPELLERS BEGAN CONTACTING THE RWY HE CHECKED THE GEAR HANDLE TO CONFIRM IT WAS DOWN, & MAY HAVE PUT IT DOWN AT THAT TIME. AT NO TIME DID EITHER CREW MEMBER HEAR THE GEAR UNSAFE WARNING HORN. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT BECAUSE MANY OF THEIR APPROACHES WERE STEEP & FAST WITH POWER LEVERS AT IDLE, MANY CREWS FLEW WITH THE WARNING HORN CIRCUIT BREAKER PULLED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N126AV (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA-226TC
- Category: Airplane
- Airframe hours: 3651
- Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE-331 904 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Flt America, Inc
- Registered owner: Flt America, Inc
- Departed: ORD, NORFOLK, VA
- Destination: 3V5, FORT COLLINS, CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: IAD, Dulles Intl, runway 1L, 11,550 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 26; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 5,497 total, 1,297 in this make and model, 3,925 as pilot in command, 206 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature: 138 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: IAD, 1 nm away

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.

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