# NTSB GAA17CA333: Swearingen SA227 TT, N53DA, Santa Monica, CA, March 12, 2017

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 12, 2017, 12:24 local (19:24 UTC)
- Place: Santa Monica, CA
- Coordinates: 34.014999, -118.452224 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0150&lon=-118.4522&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 23, 2018
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 95355
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA333
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95355/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95355
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA333

## Probable cause

The pilot’s unstabilized approach after encountering wake turbulence, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Swearingen SA227-TT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=8780620), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Swearingen SA227-TT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8780620), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Swearingen SA227-TT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=8780620), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361); cases with it: [Swearingen SA227-TT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=8780620), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Swearingen SA227-TT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8780620), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, while on short final following a jet airplane, the airplane "encountered turbulence that induced significant rolling." He added that the airplane "was not able to completely re-establish a stabilized approach prior to touching down." Subsequently, the airplane touched down "more firm than usual." The pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, while on short final following a jet airplane, the airplane "encountered turbulence that induced significant rolling". He added that the airplane "was not able to completely re-establish a stabilized approach prior to touching down". Subsequently, the airplane touched down "more firm than usual". The pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N53DA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53DA-2021-08-14), registration cancelled 2021-08-14, S/N TT-438, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA227 TT (TT)
- Registry model: [Swearingen SA227-TT](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa227-tt) (registry code 8780620) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TT-438
- Year built: 1981
- Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE331 904 horsepower turbo prop; AIRESEARCH TPE331 904 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PSP, PALM SPRINGS, CA
- Destination: SMO, Santa Monica, CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: SMO, Santa Monica Muni, runway 21, 4,973 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 13, 2016; flight hours: 4,900 total, 410 in this make and model, 4,700 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: KSMO

## 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 20170312007549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170312007549A), Mar 12, 2017: Swearingen SA227-TT, Santa Monica, CA, Substantial damage. This merlin iiic departed palm springs international (kpsp) at approximately 11:50 a.m. (12MAR2017) on an IFR flight plan arriving at smo approximately 25…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95355. 1.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 601 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458626&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- ROC_Clint Crookshanks (NTSB Aerospace Engineer) (item 2, .PDF, 314 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458627&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=ROC_Clint%20Crookshanks%20(NTSB%20Aerospace%20Engineer)-Master.PDF
- Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 335 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40458628&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF

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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