- Date
- August 26, 1988, 08:06 local (15:06 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 13 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2683BFairchild SA-227-AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880826046379A
- Case key
- 26094
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Mechanics failure to properly secure the right engine cowling after maintenance.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The crew stated that while on the ground at san francisco, oil was added to the right engine by a mechanic. The captain stated he saw the six latches down and the cowling halves were flush. The first officer did not get out of the airplane and check the cowling since the captain had been outside with the mechanic. During cruise flight, the top half of the right engine cowling separated from the airplane. During separation, it hit the cabin window at row 4 causing it to break & depressurize the cabin. A lady seated at 4C received a cut on her right forearm & her purse was 'sucked out' the opening. An exam of the failed parts of the nacelle revealed no evidence of preexisting cracks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2683B
- Reported as
- Fairchild SA-227-AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AC617
- Airframe hours
- 5,378
- Engine
- Airesearch TPE-331, 1,000 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Wings West, doing business as American Eagle
- Registered owner
- Capitol Bank Of Commerce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 16, 1988 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- SFO · San Francisco, CA
- Destination
- SMF · Sacramento, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,900 total · 1,100 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.