Swearingen SA-26AT accident near Rocksprings, Texas, June 19, 1985
On June 19, 1985 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-26AT, registered N199TA, was destroyed in an accident near Rocksprings, Texas. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 19, 1985 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Rocksprings, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-26AT · all SA-26ATs on the register
- Registration
- N199TA · registry record · serial T26-110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU 14,800' FOR 19,000', THE PLT REPORTED A RAPID DECOMPRESSION. TWO MINUTES LATER, HE REPORTED THAT HE HAS LOST THE TAIL. ACFT IMPACTED IN AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN AND THE TAIL AND A SECTION OF EMPENNAGE WERE FOUND ABOUT 3/4 MILE AWAY FROM MAIN WRECKAGE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A SKIN SEAM HAD SPLIT OPEN ALONG A 54' SPAN IN AN AREA WHERE 2 PIECES OF 'L' SHAPED CHANNEL HAD BEEN RIVETED TOGETHER TO FORM A STRINGER. NORMALLY THE STRINGER WOULD BE MADE USING A SINGLE PIECE OF 'T' SHAPED CHANNEL. THE NON-STANDARD STRINGER HAD BEEN FABRICATED DURING REPAIRS MADE ON THE ACFT FOLLOWING A GEAR UP LANDING 7 YRS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT THE RIVETS HOLDING THE 'L' CHANNELS TOGETHER AND FAILED IN FATIGUE DUE TO TENSILE CYCLIC LOADING WHENEVER THE ACFT WAS PRESSURIZED. ACFT HAD A HISTORY OF PRESSURIZATION PROBLEMS FOLLOWING THE REPAIR THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY PERFORMED OR INSPECTED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,843 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 4,624 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 16, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 10,062 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-1151G (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DRT Del Rio TX at 7:52 pm
- Destination: F60 Mcgregory TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from DLF, 35 miles away
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.