Swearingen SA226-T(B) accident near Denver, Colorado, May 6, 2022
On May 6, 2022 at about 3:10 am local time, a 1980 Swearingen SA226-T(B), registered N36LC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Denver, Colorado (Centennial Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain’s failure to ensure that the parking brake was correctly released before takeoff, which resulted in seized brakes during landing and a subsequent loss of directional control and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2022 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA226-T(B), built 1980 · all SA226-T(B)s on the register
- Registration
- N36LC · no longer on the register · serial T-387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported slower than normal acceleration during the takeoff roll. At 60 to 80 knots, the captain “pushed in the parking brake” handle and continued the takeoff. The crew reported no anomalies on the departure or while en route. While landing at the destination, the airplane swerved right and the captain lost directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the right wing. Postaccident examination revealed that the right main landing gear brakes were seized and the right main landing gear tires had flat spots down to the wheel rims, consistent with no tire rotation during landing. No preaccident anomalies were observed with the braking system that would have precluded normal operation. According to the flight manual, proper release of the parking brake required the brake pedals to be depressed while the parking brake handle was pushed fully forward. The parking brake was likely not correctly released before takeoff, which allowed the right brakes to retain pressure and led to the loss of directional control during landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 5, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 434 hours in all; 163 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 197 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 6, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,025 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 27, 2022; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honeywell TPE331-10U-51 (turboprop); 9,052 hours total
- Operator: Cloud Peak Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GRI Grand Island NE
- Destination: APA Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35R, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KAPA
Weather report (METAR): KAPA 070253Z 09007KT 10SM FEW110 FEW140 SCT220 14/03 A2969 RMK AO2 SLP991 T01390028 53051 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N36LC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22LA195.