- Date
- February 19, 1988, 21:27 local (Feb 20, 1988, 02:27 UTC)
- Place
- Cary, NC
- Injuries
- 12 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N622AVFairchild SA227-AC
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 4, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19880219048949A
- Case key
- 15896
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft departed during low ceiling, low visibility, and night conditions. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft impacted a reservoir. Analysis of radar data indicated the acft was in a 45 degree descending turn. Exam of the acft trim system showed that the acft was trimmed for level flight. There was no voice or flight data recorder on board. A review of ATC communications indicated that the captain was communicating with ATC allowing the first officer to accomp-lish the flying duties. Examination of the wreckage revealed no indications of powerplant or system failures. However, there was evidence that the sas warning light was illuminated, the sas switch was in the off position, and no sas systemmalfunction could be found. Witnesses stated that before the flight the captain had complained of illness but he decidedto report for duty. Company records showed instances of substandard performance by the first officer. The investigation found company oversight of training, operations, and inadequate FAA supervision. (See NTSB/AAR-88/10)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N622AV
- Reported as
- Fairchild SA227-AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AC-622
- Airframe hours
- 4,222
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-11U-6, 1,000 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Avair, Inc., doing business as American Eagle
- Registered owner
- Avair, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 15, 1988
- Departed
- RDU · Raleigh, NC
- Destination
- RIC · Richmond, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RDU · Raleigh/Durham, runway 23R, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,400 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 2,600 as pilot in command · 137 in the last 90 days · 47 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 226° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.