Fairchild SA227-AT accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, March 4, 2024
On March 4, 2024, a 1983 Fairchild SA227-AT, registered N563TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna airport). It was an other work-use flight 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane encountered a sink hole while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2024
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA227-AT, built 1983 · all SA227-ATs on the register
- Registration
- N563TR · registry record · serial AT563
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he and the co-pilot had just begun to taxi to the runway from their hangar. The airplane traveled about 150 ft when the ground gave way (sink hole due to a broken water main) under the left main landing gear. The landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left-wing spar and lower fuselage. The left engine propeller blades were also damaged.
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
- Airport occurrence during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,901 hours in all; 948 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,079 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 776 hours in all; 444 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,555,389 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 12, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Garrett TPE-331-IIU-6 (turboprop); 25,389 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TPE-331-IIU-6 (turboprop); 25,389 hours total
- Operator: Kolob Canyons Air Services INC
The flight
- Destination: GKY Arlington TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from MQY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA131.