Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) S340B incident near Nashville, Tennessee, May 3, 1994
On May 3, 1994 at about 11:03 am local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) S340B, registered N245AE, was involved in an incident near Nashville, Tennessee. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE ICE/SLUSH INGESTION THAT RESULTED IN POWER INTERRUPTIONS AND FAILURE OF THE AIR DATA COMPUTER COUPLED WITH MOISTURE INGESTION OF THE STATIC SYSTEM. FACTORS WERE THE FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT A PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED DESIGN DEFICIENCY THAT PERMITTED THE ACCUMULATION OF ENGINE INLET ICE/SLUSH, WHICH COULD NOT BE OBSERVED BY THE FLIGHT CREW, NOR PREVENTED BY ON-BOARD ENGINE ANTI-ICE EQUIPMENT, THE LACK OF A PROACTIVE STANCE BY THE FAA WHEN INVOLVED WITH AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION UNDER BI-LATERAL AGREEMENTS, AND THE INADEQUACY OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS REGARDING ENGINE INLET ICE PROTECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1994 · about 11:03 am local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) S340B
- Registration
- N245AE · registry record · serial 340B-245
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP OVER NIGHT, UNCOVERED, IN CONTINOUS RAIN. TAKEOFF WAS MADE IN HARD RAIN. AFTER REACHING CRUISE FLIGHT (FL250), ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTIONS OCCURRED IN BOTH ENGINES. FLIGHT CONDITIONS WERE IMC, -20 DEG. OAT, AND LIGHT RIME ICING. ALSO, ALL AIRSPEED INDICATIONS DECREASED TO ZERO. A DESCENT WAS BEGUN, AND THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED SAFELY AT ITS DESTINATION. THE INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN LIGHT ICING CONDITIONS SINCE THE INTRODUCTION INTO REVENUE SERVICE OF THE ACFT. AD'S WERE ISSUED TO PROHIBIT REVENUE FLTS, THEN FLTS IN ICING CONDITIONS WITHOUT AN AUTO IGNITION. THE MANUFACTURER HAD DETERMINED THAT ICE/SLUSH COULD BUILD UP ON THE INLET PARTICLE SEPARATOR, BREAK OFF, AND ENTER THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN FLAMEOUT. THE ICE/SLUSH COULD NOT BE SEEN BY THE PILOTS, AND WAS NOT REDUCED BY ENGINE ANTI-ICE. AN AUTO IGNITION WAS ADDED THAT RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITHIN 2 SECONDS. ACFT CERTIFICATION RULES REQIRE THAT NO ACCUMULATION OF ENGINE INLET ICE OCCUR THAT WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ENGINE OPERATION.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,674 hours in all; 1,171 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,003 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 26, 1994; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 29,000 lb
- Seats: 36
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CT7-9 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings West Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA at 10:12 am
- Destination: BNA TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:44 am from BNA, 87 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 13 |
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 N245AE 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.