Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A incident near Memphis, Tennessee, November 10, 1990
On November 10, 1990 at about 4:22 pm local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A, registered N322PX, was involved in an incident near Memphis, Tennessee. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW APPROVED PROCEDURES FOR TROUBLESHOOTING INFLIGHT MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS AND IMPROPERLY USED THE FLIGHT AND ENGINE CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1990 · about 4:22 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A
- Registration
- N322PX · no longer on the register · serial 0041
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
NO PASSENGERS WERE ON THE AIRPLANE WHEN IT DEPARTED MEMPHIS. THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE CAPTAIN FELT A VIBRATION ON THE LEFT SIDE AND BELIEVED THAT THE PROPELLER WAS THE ORIGIN. HE ASKED THE FIRST OFFICER (FO) HAD HE EVER SEEN THE PROPELLER IN FEATHER; THE FO SAID NO. THE CAPTAIN INSTRUCTED THE FO TO GO INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN AND LOOK AT THE LEFT PROPELLER IN FEATHER. SECONDS LATER THE AIRPLANE STARTED A SERIES OF VIOLENT GYRATIONS, WHICH THREW HIM AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT AGAINST THE INTERIOR OF THE CABIN. AFTER LOSING SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET FROM 11,000 FEET, THE FLIGHT CREW MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. A REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND THE REPORTED VIBRATION FELT ONLY BY THE CAPTAIN, FAILED TO REVEAL A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WHICH WOULD HAVE PRODUCED A VIBRATION. THE PROCEDURES EMPLOYED BY THE CAPTAIN WERE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA OR COMPANY APPROVED DIRECTIVES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,020 hours in all; 2,800 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 28,000 lb
- Seats: 37
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CT7-5A2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heleasco Twenty Four, INC.
The flight
- Destination: GTR Columbus MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:51 pm from MEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N322PX the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.