Swearingen SA-26AT incident near Waycross, Georgia, July 4, 1986
On July 4, 1986 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-26AT, registered N20EF, was involved in an incident near Waycross, Georgia (Waycross-Ware CO. airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1986 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Waycross, Georgia · Waycross-Ware CO. · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-26AT · all SA-26ATs on the register
- Registration
- N20EF · registry record · serial 157
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PAX HAD RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS BY THE PLT ON HOW TO OPEN THE CABIN DOOR. THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN ON THE RAMP AND THE PAX ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE CABIN DOOR. THE LATCH WAS TURNED; THE DOOR BEGAN TO FALL OPEN AND THE PAX CAUGHT THE DOOR STEP CHANNEL AT A HINGE POINT. THE PAX FINGER WAS CAUGHT IN THE HINGE AND THE TIP OF THE THIRD FINGER ON THE LEFT HAND WAS SEVERED. THE PAX DID NOT USE THE SAFETY CHAIN TO SUPPORT THE DOOR AS IT WAS OPENED AS WAS DEMONSTRATED BY THE PLT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,883 hours in all; 754 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 7,731 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,438 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 9, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE331-1-151G (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FZG Fitzgerald GA at 6:50 pm
- Destination: AYS Waycross GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.