Fairchild SA227AC accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, June 25, 1996
On June 25, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Fairchild SA227AC, registered N2692P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
insufficient clearance between the second stage compressor impeller and the shroud. A factor was the subsequent fatigue failure of the impeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA227AC · all SA227ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2692P · no longer on the register · serial AC6588
- 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
The captain reported that the airplane was at 5,000 feet mean sea level, the propeller rpm was 100 percent, and other engine indications were normal. A loss of power on the number two engine was 'sudden and immediate.' The flightcrew declared an emergency and recovered visually to Grand Forks without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed eleven impact marks to the right side of the fuselage. Two of the impacts penetrated the fuselage side. Examination of the engine revealed evidence of overload failure and penetration of the gear box. Fatigue fractures in the second stage compressor impeller rim emanated from a heat affected, rubbed area on the impeller blades. A corresponding rubbed area was evident on the impeller shroud, and aluminum material was fused to the titanium impeller. No evidence of material defects were noted.
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: 4,074 hours in all; 2,727 in this make and model; 229 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 1,765 as pilot in command; 1,105 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,127 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 9, 1996; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesaba Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK ND at 7:30 pm
- Destination: KMSP Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 17 |
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 N2692P 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.