Fairchild Swearingen SA227BC accident near Rawlins, Wyoming, November 1, 2003
On November 1, 2003 at about 2:52 pm local time, a Fairchild Swearingen SA227BC, registered N787KL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rawlins, Wyoming (Rawlins Municipal Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors include the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, the icy, snow covered runway and the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 2003 · about 2:52 pm local time
- Place
- Rawlins, Wyoming · Rawlins Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Swearingen SA227BC
- Registration
- N787KL · registry record · serial BC-787B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot noted, during the circling approach, that the runway was snow covered. During the landing roll, the airplane began to slide to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and reversed the right propeller. The airplane slid for approximately 1,900 feet and went off the left side of the runway. The airplane struck a snow bank, substantially damaging the airplane.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,372 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 178 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 3,203 as pilot in command; 863 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,941.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 7, 2003; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE-331-120HR (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE-331-120HR (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key Lime Air
The flight
- Departed from: APA Denver CO at 1:40 pm
- Destination: RWL Rawlins WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from RWL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.