# NTSB LAX85FA185: Swearingen SA 226TC, Los Angeles, CA, March 23, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 22, 1985, 20:26 local (Mar 23, 1985, 04:26 UTC)
- Place: Los Angeles, CA
- Location: 33.9425° N, 118.4080° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LOS ANGELES INTL (LAX), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9425&lon=-118.4080&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 12 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 24482
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX85FA185
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/24482/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX85FA185

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - electrical system,circuit breaker - not engaged (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,gear warning system - inoperative
  - gear extension - not attained, pilot in command (cause)
  - gear extension - not identified, copilot/second pilot (cause)
  - wheels up landing - inadvertent (cause)

## Analysis

ON THIS LEG OF THE FLT, THE 1ST OFFICER (FO) WAS FLYING THE ACFT WHILE THE CAPTAIN (CAPT) WAS MONITORING & CONDUCTING ATC COMMUNICATIONS. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCREW HAD FOLLOWED THE CHECKLIST DURING ARRIVAL; HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITHTHE GEAR RETRACTED. WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, PIECES OF THE R PROP BLADES BROKE OFF & ENTERED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, BETWEEN & BELOW THE 1ST & 2ND WINDOWS. FIVE PIECES PENETRATED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT & SERIOUSLY INJURED A PASSENGER IN THE 1ST ROW. THE OTHER 1ST ROW PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CAPT STATED HE HAD PUT THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE FO REMEMBERED CALLING FOR GEAR EXTENSION, BUT DID NOT RECALL ACTUALLY NOTICING THE GEARBEING LOWERED. DAMAGES INDICATED THE GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE GEAR & WARNING SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED & THEY FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FO HAD PULLED THE GEAR WARNING CIRCUIT BREAKER (CB) ON THE PREV FLT, BUT HAD RESET IT. HE SPECULATED THE CB MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY IN (NOT FULLY RESET); THUS, DEACTIVATING THE GEAR WARNING SYSTEM.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CGYRD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA 226TC
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TC278
- Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE-331 840 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Sun Aire Lines
- Registered owner: Perimeter Airlines (Limited)
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 18, 1985, 23 hours before
- Departed: IPL, IMPERIAL, CA
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: LAX, Los Angeles Intl, runway 25R, 12,091 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 9,993 total, 1,658 in this make and model, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LAX

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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