Swearingen SA-26T accident near Houston, Texas, February 11, 1983
On February 11, 1983 at about 6:36 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-26T, registered N111PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Hobby airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1983 · about 6:36 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Hobby
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-26T · all SA-26Ts on the register
- Registration
- N111PT · no longer on the register · serial 15
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, IT BEGAN A VIOLENT & UNCONTROLLABLE OSCILLATION, THEN LOCKED APRX 25 DEG TO THE LEFT. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, CROSSED AN AREA OF SOFT GROUND AND ANGLED ACROSS A TAXIWAY. AFTER CROSSING THE TAXIWAY, IT ENTERED ANOTHER AREA OF SOFT DIRT WHERE THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED. AFTER COMING TO REST, THE PROPELLERS DUG HOLES IN THE SOFT GROUND BEFORE THE ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TIRES LEFT BLACK SCRUB MARKS (800 FT LONG) BEFORE THE ACFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. LOW AIR PRESSURE WAS FOUND IN THE NOSE GEAR STRUT AND SHIMMY DAMPER. ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, THIS LOW PRESSURE COULD CAUSE THE NOSE GEAR TO SHIMMY. PROPELLER STRIKE MARKS IN THE FIRST AREA OF SOFT GROUND INDICATED THE GROUND SPEED WAS 82 KTS WHERE THEY FIRST CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,455 hours in all; 1,035 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 9,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,027 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,062 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRD Laredo TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13L, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:36 pm from HOU
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.