Fairchild SA227-AC accident near Cary, North Carolina, February 20, 1988
On February 20, 1988 at about 2:27 am local time, a Fairchild SA227-AC, registered N622AV, was destroyed in an accident near Cary, North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 12 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 20, 1988 · about 2:27 am local time
- Place
- Cary, North Carolina · Raleigh/Durham
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 12 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA227-AC · all SA227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N622AV · registry record · serial AC-622
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DURING LOW CEILING, LOW VISIBILITY, AND NIGHT CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A RESERVOIR. ANALYSIS OF RADAR DATA INDICATED THE ACFT WAS IN A 45 DEGREE DESCENDING TURN. EXAM OF THE ACFT TRIM SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS TRIMMED FOR LEVEL FLIGHT. THERE WAS NO VOICE OR FLIGHT DATA RECORDER ON BOARD. A REVIEW OF ATC COMMUNICATIONS INDICATED THAT THE CAPTAIN WAS COMMUNICATING WITH ATC ALLOWING THE FIRST OFFICER TO ACCOMP-LISH THE FLYING DUTIES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF POWERPLANT OR SYSTEM FAILURES. HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE SAS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE SAS SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, AND NO SAS SYSTEMMALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT BEFORE THE FLIGHT THE CAPTAIN HAD COMPLAINED OF ILLNESS BUT HE DECIDEDTO REPORT FOR DUTY. COMPANY RECORDS SHOWED INSTANCES OF SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE BY THE FIRST OFFICER. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND COMPANY OVERSIGHT OF TRAINING, OPERATIONS, AND INADEQUATE FAA SUPERVISION. (SEE NTSB/AAR-88/10)
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,222 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 15, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-11U-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Avair, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh NC at 2:30 am
- Destination: RIC Richmond VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23R, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 226° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:36 pm from RDU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.