Swearingen SA-226T accident near Washington, District of Columbia, November 30, 1988
On November 30, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-226T, registered N263CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, District of Columbia (Dulles Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · Dulles Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-226T · all SA-226Ts on the register
- Registration
- N263CM · no longer on the register · serial T223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS FLYING AN AUTOPILOT COUPLED ILS APCH WHEN THE YAW DAMPER & AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED. AFTER SOME DIFFICULTY, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED. HE SAID HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT ON FINAL APCH AT AN ALT OF APRX 250' AGL. HE LOWERED FULL FLAPS & SLOWED THE ACFT TO 107 KTS. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN & TRAVELED APRX 1000', ITS NOSE BEGAN TO RISE & OSCILLATE. HE ABORTED THE LNDG, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO GET AN UP & LOCKED INDICATION FOR THE NOSE GEAR, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD LOCK DOWN. AFTER MAKING A FLY-BY TO VERIFY THE GEAR POSITION, HE MADE A 'SLOW' LNDG. THE PLT RPRTD THAT ALTHOUGH A SLIGHT OSCILLATION WAS NOTED DRG THE LNDG, HE FORCEFULLY HELD THE NOSE DOWN AS HE SLOWED THE ACFT. TESTING & EVALUATION OF THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY DISCREPANCY WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE OSCILLATIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,978 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 18, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W83 Ashland VA at 6:41 am
- Destination: W09 Leesburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.