# NTSB FTW90IA030: Saab-Fairchild 340A, N363MA, Beaumont, TX, November 22, 1989

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: November 22, 1989, 10:24 local (16:24 UTC)
- Place: Beaumont, TX
- Location: 30.0860° N, 94.1018° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Beaumont, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0860&lon=-94.1018&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 37 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 26, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 23051
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW90IA030
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/23051/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW90IA030

## Probable cause

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADJUSTED VREF AND PROPER DESCENT RATES DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT DELAYED DECISION TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AND THE COPILOT FAILED TO MONITOR THE POORLY FLOWN APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RAIN AND WIND SHEAR ENCOUNTERED DURING THE APPROACH AND THE CREW'S POOR EVALUATION OF THAT WEATHER.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor)
  - weather evaluation - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with object, missed approach (ifr)
  - object - tree(s)
  - airspeed(vref) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper descent rate - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (cause)
  - monitoring - not performed, copilot/second pilot (cause)

## Analysis

DUE TO SHOWERS ON THE ILS RUNWAY, THE CREW ELECTED TO CIRCLE AND LAND RWY 30. MDA WAS 540 FT, ADJUSTED VREF WAS 130 KTS. AT THE 90 DEGREE POSITION TO THE RWY, IAS WAS 131 KTS. ALTITUDE WAS 528 FT. DURING THE DESCENDING BASE TO FINAL TURN, THE POWER WENT TO FLIGHT IDLE. THE AIRSPEED WENT BELOW ADJUSTED VREF, AND THE RADAR ALTITUDE WENT DOWN TO 176 FEET. THE RADAR ALTITUDE WAS 56 FEET, AND THE AIRPSEED WAS 112 KNOTS WHEN THE TORQUE STARTED TO INCREASE. LOWEST RADAR ALTITUDE WAS 16 FEET, AND LOWEST AIRSPEED WAS 100 KNOTS. AIRPLANE IMPACTED TOPS OF TREES, APRX 2,200 FEET FROM APCH END OF RUNWAY. PIC SAID THAT DURING TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL, F/O LOST SIGHT OF RUNWAY IN A RAINSHOWER AND A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED. PIC OF AIRPLANE, WAITING AT HOLD LINE FOR WX TO IMPROVE BEFORE TAKEOFF, SAW THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEAR BEHIND TREES, DURING HEAVY RAIN. HIS F/O CALLED IT A WALL OF WATER.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N363MA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SAAB-FAIRCHILD 340A
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 340A-098
- Engines: GE CT7-5A 1735 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Metro Flight
- Registered owner: Lambert Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: DFW, DFW AIRPORT, TX
- Destination: BPT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: BPT, Beaumont/Port Arthur, runway 30, 6,751 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; flight instructor, 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: 9,914 total, 2,133 in this make and model, 8,971 as pilot in command, 197 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: BPT, 2 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19891122061149I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891122061149I), Nov 22, 1989: Saab SF340A, Beaumont Port A, TX, Minor damage. Pilot flew through tree tops on final approach. Flew below obstruction clearance plane. Rain in area.

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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