# NTSB DEN84IA070: Swearingen SA227-AC, N31088, Durango, CO, January 15, 1984

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: January 14, 1984, 21:05 local (Jan 15, 1984, 04:05 UTC)
- Place: Durango, CO
- Coordinates: 37.269336, -107.879142 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2693&lon=-107.8791&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16269
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN84IA070
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16269/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84IA070

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, other
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
  - wing - ice (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - airspeed - inadequate, copilot/second pilot (cause)
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - directional control - not maintained (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent
- Nose gear collapsed, landing
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - icy (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - wet (contributing factor)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE CAPTAIN, THE COPLT WAS MAKING THE LANDING & CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT 50 TO 60 FT AGL AT 110 TO 115 KTS. HE SAID A SLIGHTLY HIGHER AIRSPEED WAS USED TO COMPENSATE FOR A SMALL ABOUNT OF ICE THAT REMAINED ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS. IN THE FLARE, THE ACFT YAWED LEFT & REPORTEDLY TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE NOSE ABOUT 15 DEGS TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 21 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE 150 FT WIDE RWY. THE CAPT TOOK CONTROL & APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY, HIT A SNOW BANK & MUD, THEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.THE NORMAL APCH SPEED WAS 103 KTS FOR THE ACFT'S WEIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE FLT MANUAL, THE APCH SPEED SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCREASED BY 19 KTS IF THERE WAS ICE ON THE FLYING SURFACES.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N31088 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA227-AC
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: AC-520
- Airframe hours: 1606
- Engines: GARRETT TPE 331-11 1000 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Trans Colorado Airline
- Registered owner: Commuter Airlines Of Co.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 13, 1984, 15 hours before
- Departed: ABQ, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: DRO, La Plata County, runway 2, 9,200 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 27; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 7,000 total, 3,200 in this make and model, 5,800 as pilot in command, 220 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: DRO

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19840114002419I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840114002419I), Jan 14, 1984: Swrngn SA227AC, Durango, CO, Minor damage. Landed left of center line. Left wheel ran off runway. Struck a snowbank. Nose gear collapsed.

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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