# NTSB FTW00LA078: Swearingen SA-227-AT, N245DH, Fayetteville, AR, January 29, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 28, 2000, 21:30 local (Jan 29, 2000, 03:30 UTC) - Place: Fayetteville, AR - Coordinates: 36.070999, -94.150215 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0710&lon=-94.1502&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48628 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48628/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA078 ## Probable cause The flight crew's failure to extend the landing gear. Contributing factors were the flight crew's non-compliance with the checklist, the pilot-in-command's diverted attention as a result of the loss of instrument approach/runway lighting, the partial failure of the instrument approach/runway lighting system, and the partial failure of the intercom system. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - gear extension - not performed, flightcrew (cause) - airport facilities,instrument approach lights - loss(partial) (contributing factor) - checklist - not complied with, flightcrew (contributing factor) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - comm/nav equipment,intercom - failure,partial (contributing factor) ## Analysis On departure for the night air taxi cargo flight, the flight crew experienced a problem with the crew intercom system. The crew initiated their descent at a 'later than normal distance' from the airport, and as a result, a power reduction below 25 percent torque was required, which set off the gear warning horn. The sound 'eventually became part of the background noise.' During the approach, the captain asked the tower to dim the runway lights. At that time, the runway and approach lights went out and the crew lost sight of the runway. While the captain was asking the tower to turn the lights back on, the first officer called 'gear down, syncs off, speeds high, below the line check list.' The captain did not hear the first officer's callout and did not lower the landing gear. The captain stated that he did not hear the first officer's callout 'either because of the conversation [he] was having with the tower or because of the intercom system difficulties.' As the approach continued, the first officer had a problem slowing the airplane to proper approach speed. The airplane touched down on the runway with the landing gear retracted, 'slid' about 2,500 feet and exited the left side of the runway. ## Factual narrative On January 28, 2000, at 2130 central standard time, a Swearingen SA-227-AT twin-engine airplane, N245DH, was substantially damaged during a wheels up landing at the Fayetteville Airport, Fayetteville, Arkansas. The airline transport pilot, acting as the captain, and the commercial pilot, acting as the first officer, were not injured. The airplane was registered to Banc of America Leasing & Capital LLC of San Francisco, California, and operated by Ameriflight, Inc., of Burbank, California. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air taxi cargo flight. The flight originated from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was terminating at the time of the accident. According to the 4,116-hour captain, the crew experienced a problem with the crew intercom system during departure, and the first officer (flying pilot) had to "repeat his requests three or four times" before the captain could hear him. The crew decided they would notify the maintenance personnel when they arrived at their destination. The captain reported that air traffic control issued a clearance to descend to 3,000 feet "at pilot's discretion." The crew initiated their descent at a "later than normal distance" from the airport. The first officer needed to reduce the power below 25 percent torque in order to expedite the descent, which set off the gear warning horn. The sound "eventually became part of the background noise." The captain added that at 2 miles from the final approach fix (FAF), he asked the tower to dim the runway lights. At that time, the runway and approach lights went out and the crew lost sight of the runway. While the captain was asking the tower to turn the lights back on, the first officer called "gear down, syncs off, speeds high, below the line check list." The captain did not hear the first officer's callout and did not lower the landing gear. The captain stated that he did not hear the first officer's callout "either because of the conversation [he] was having with the tower or because of the intercom difficulties." As the approach continued, the first officer had a problem slowing the airplane to proper approach speed. The airplane touched down on the runway with the landing gear retracted, "slid" approximately 2,500 feet and exited the left side of the runway. According to the FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, two pressure bulkheads were structurally damaged. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N245DH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N245DH), registered now, S/N AT-624B, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Swearingen SA-227-AT - Registry model: [Fairchild SA227-AT](https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-sa227-at) (registry code 3377510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AT-624-B - Airframe hours: 14251 - Engines: Garrett TPE331 1000 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Ameriflight, Inc. - Registered owner: Bank Of America Leasing - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, January 8, 2000, 45 hours before - Departed: TUL, TULSA, OK - Destination: FYV - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FYV, Fayetteville Drake Field, runway 16, 6,006 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 4,116 total, 625 in this make and model, 4,000 as pilot in command, 302 in the last 90 days, 99 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 50° at 5 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,100 ft overcast - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FYV ## 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 20000128017959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000128017959A), Jan 28, 2000: Swrngn SA227AT, Fayetteville, AR, Substantial damage. (.4)On departure for the night air taxi cargo flight, the flight crew experienced a problem with the crew intercom system. The crew initiated their descent at… 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.