Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A incident near Detroit, Michigan, September 4, 2002
On September 4, 2002 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A, registered N110XJ, was involved in an incident near Detroit, Michigan. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 25 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A malfunctioning yaw damper.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2002 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 25 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) 340A
- Registration
- N110XJ · no longer on the register · serial M369MA
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While climbing to cruise altitude the first officer (FO) reported that turns to the left were "difficult". The flightcrew continued the climb and noticed the rudder trim had trimmed 5 units to the right. Approximately 2,000 feet prior to leveloff the pitch trim annunciator light illuminated and remained illuminated after the flightcrew completed the quick reference checklist. The flightcrew monitored the trim position indicator and manually operated the trim for the remainder of the flight. Company maintenance personnel determined a malfunctioning yaw damper was the source of the control anomaly.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 815 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,474 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 30, 2001; 1,580 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 28,000 lb
- Seats: 33
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CT7-5A2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleavland OH at 8:00 pm
- Destination: DET Detroit MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 22 |
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 N110XJ 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.