Fairchild SA226T accident near Pontiac, Michigan, January 10, 1988
On January 10, 1988 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Fairchild SA226T, registered N800AW, was destroyed in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Oakland Pontiac airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1988 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Oakland Pontiac · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA226T · all SA226Ts on the register
- Registration
- N800AW · registry record · serial T403
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. DURING THE WX BRIEFING, THE CFI TOLD THE FSS SPECIALIST THAT THE FLT WOULD INCLUDE ENG-OUT PRACTICE. WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE ACFT ROLLED SHARPLY TO THE RT AND NOSED DOWN AFTER ATTAINING ABOUT 100 FT OF ALT DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND LEFT PROP AND LEFT WING TIP FIRST, IN AN INVERTED FLT ATTITUDE. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, THE RT ENG PWR LEVER WAS SUBJECTED TO LAB EXAM AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOWER AFT PART OF THE LIFT GATE DETENT WAS WORN. THIS CREATED A RAMPING EFFECT BETWEEN THE ROUNDED EDGE OF THE LIFT GATE AND THE FLT IDLE STOP. A WORN LIFT GATE DETENT WOULD ALLOW THE POWER LEVER TO INADVERTENTLY BE MOVED INTO THE BETA RANGE, CAUSING ASYMMETRICAL DRAG AND DEGRADED AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE, PARTICULARLY IN CRITICAL PHASES OF FLIGHT.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,515 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 22, 1987; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-100 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 3:17 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27L, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:19 pm from PTK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N800AW 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.