Swearingen SA-227-AC and Fairchild SA-227-AC accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, January 30, 1989
On January 30, 1989 at about 10:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Swearingen SA-227-AC (N169SW) and Fairchild SA-227-AC (N2685L), were involved in the same accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Intl airport). No one was hurt; 16 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 FAILURE OF THE CAPTAIN TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING HIS AIRCRAFT, INADVERTENTLY ALLOWING HIS AIRCRAFT TO CREEP INTO THE STATIONARY AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF HIM.
THE FAILURE OF CAPTAIN OF N169SW TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT WHILE TAXIING HIS AIRCRAFT ALLOWING HIS AIRCRAF TO CREEP INTO THE STATIONARY AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF HIM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1989 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Swearingen SA-227-AC · all SA-227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N169SW · registry record · serial AC-558
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Fairchild SA-227-AC · all SA-227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2685L · no longer on the register · serial AC-648
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Swearingen SA-227-AC final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE WAS CLEARED BY ATC GROUND CONTROL TO PROCEED IN A TAXI LINE OF 10 AIRCRAFT THAT WERE WAITING FOR TAKEOFF. PROGRESS WAS SLOW AS THE AIRCRAFT MOVED AND THEN STOPPED AND MOVED AGAIN. AFTER ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES OF TAXIING, THE TWO SUBJECT AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AGAIN. THE CAPTAIN SAID THAT WITHOUT REALIZING IT, HIS AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO CREEP UP ON THE PRECEDING AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER STRUCK THE TAIL OF THE PROCEDING AIRCRAFT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT HE WAS AT THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION AND COULD NOT RECALL WHAT WAS OCCUPYING HIS ATTENTION PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Fairchild SA-227-AC final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE WAITING IN LINE FOR THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT TO MOVE TOWARD THE TAKEOFF AREA, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RUN INTO BY A COMPANY AIRCRAFT BEHIND IT. THE CAPTAIN OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT STATED THAT WITHOUT REALIZING IT, HIS AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO CREEP UP ON THE PRECEDING AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER STRUCK THE TAIL OF THE PRECEDING AIRCRAFT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT.
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 for the Swearingen SA-227-AC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,512 hours in all; 4,012 in this make and model; 246 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 11,545 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,201 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 12, 1989; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE 331-11UA (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 12,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SLC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
The factual record for the Fairchild SA-227-AC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,550 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331 11UA (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JAX Jackson WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 12,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.