# NTSB DEN84IA157: Swearingen SA226TC, N237AM, Albuquerque, NM, May 24, 1984

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: May 24, 1984, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Coordinates: 35.059211, -106.620346 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0592&lon=-106.6203&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 19 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16272
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN84IA157
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16272/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84IA157

## Sequence of events

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

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach
  - door,landing gear - foreign object (cause)
  - maintenance - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause)
  - complacency, company maintenance personnel (contributing factor)
  - door,landing gear - jammed (cause)
  - gear extension - not possible
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - wheels up landing

## Analysis

WHEN GEAR WAS LOWERED FOR LANDING RT MAIN GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND ALTHOUGH PERSONS ON THE GROUND STATED THE GEAR DOORS APPEARED OPEN. REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE FLT CREW DID NOT RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND A GEAR UP LANDING WAS PERFORMED. WHEN ACFT WAS RAISED FROM RWY AND RT MAIN GEAR DOORS FORCED OPEN, A MECHANICS TOOL, CALLED AN AWL, FELL OUT OF WHEEL WELL. EXAMINATION OF MARKS ON THE AWL AND IN THE WHEEL WELL INDICATED THE AWL BECAME LODGED BTW THE KEELSON WEB AND THE DOOR HINGE. THIS WOULD HAVE BLOCKED THE DOORS FROM OPENING PAST THE HALF WAY POSITION THUS PREVENTING GEAR EXTENSION. A MECHANIC HAD PERFORMED A ROUTINE GEAR INSPECTION USING AN AWL TO ALIGN SOME SCREW HOLES ON THE EVENING PRECEEDING THE INCIDENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N237AM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N237AM-1991-04-30), registration cancelled 1991-04-30, S/N TC332 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA226TC
- Registry model: [Swearingen SA226TC](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa226tc) (registry code 8780404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TC 332
- Airframe hours: 8310
- Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE-331 940 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Air Midwest Airlines, Inc.
- Registered owner: Air Midwest Airlines, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: AAIP, May 23, 1984, 238 hours before
- Departed: ROW, ROSWELL, NM
- Destination: ABQ, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: ABQ, Albuquerque Int'L Arpt., runway 35, 8,993 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,870 total, 4,300 in this make and model, 6,520 as pilot in command, 245 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ABQ

## 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 19840524038659I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840524038659I), May 24, 1984: Swrngn SA226TC, Albuquerque, NM, Minor damage. Unable to extend the right main gear for landing. Landed gear up. Found mechanics wrench wedged in gear door hinge.

## Other investigations on N237AM (2)

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 MKC83FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC83FA072), Feb 25, 1983: Swearingen SA 226TC (N237AM), St. Louis, MO, minor damage
- [NTSB MKC82FA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC82FA149), Aug 20, 1982: Swearingen SA226TC (N237AM), Kansas City, MO, substantial damage

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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