Swearingen SA-226T accident near Iowa, Iowa, December 3, 1991
On December 3, 1991 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-226T, registered N14TP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iowa, Iowa (Iowa City airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR WHICH RESULTED IN THE PROPELLER BLADES CONTACTING THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW A CHECKLIST DURING THE APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1991 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa, Iowa · Iowa City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-226T · all SA-226Ts on the register
- Registration
- N14TP · no longer on the register · serial T-220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT, THE PILOT FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND AFTER THE PROPELLERS CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL GEAR DOWN LANDING. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ABOUT ONE THIRD OF EACH BLADE ON THE RIGHT PROPELLER HAD SEPARATED. PIECES OF THE SEPARATED BLADE(S) PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE PRESSURIZED FUSELAGE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,145 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,941 as pilot in command; 146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE3313U303G (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Iowa Flying Services, INC
The flight
- Departed from: STL St Louis MO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 3,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:43 pm from CID, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.