Fairchild SA227BC accident near Gillette, Wyoming, December 8, 2006
On December 8, 2006 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Fairchild SA227BC, registered N779BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gillette, Wyoming (Gillette Campbell County airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
wind shear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2006 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gillette, Wyoming · Gillette Campbell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA227BC · all SA227BCs on the register
- Registration
- N779BC · registry record · serial 779BC
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The co-pilot was flying the airplane from the right seat and was landing. He reduced power and the airplane lost airspeed and lift. The captain called for more power and the co-pilot complied. The captain called for a go-around, then took control and applied full power but not before the airplane made a hard touch down. The captain brought the airplane around and made a full stop landing. Examination of the airplane revealed the right main landing gear strut assembly had collapsed, and fuel was leaking from the left engine wheel well. At the time of the accident, the wind was 230 degrees at 17 knots. In his written statement, the captain said he believed the hard touch down was due to wind shear.
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, commercial pilot, private, student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,550 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,450 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private, student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 694 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 460 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,142 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2006; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Fairchild SA227BC (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Fairchild SA227BC (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key Lime Air, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: GCC Gillette WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 5,803 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GCC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.