Swearingen SA 226AT accident near Dayton, Tennessee, June 3, 2014
On June 3, 2014 at about 3:50 am local time, a 1978 Swearingen SA 226AT, registered N120SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Dayton, Tennessee (Mark Anton Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear during the approach, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2014 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Dayton, Tennessee · Mark Anton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA 226AT AT, built 1978 · all SA 226ATs on the register
- Registration
- N120SC · registry record · serial AT067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately five miles from the destination airport, the pilot conducted the before landing checklist and thought he had extended the landing gear. He continued the landing approach, and the airplane touched down with the landing gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 3,800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 10,500 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 11, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,903 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 19, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 13,735 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE-331-10UA (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE-331-10UA (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRD Laredo TX
- Destination: 2A0 Dayton TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from 2A0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N120SC 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.