Fairchild F-27 accident near Houston, Texas, October 7, 1985
On October 7, 1985 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Fairchild F-27, registered N4302F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Houston Hobby airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- October 7, 1985 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston Hobby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild F-27
- Registration
- N4302F · no longer on the register · serial 60
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. WINDS AT THE TIME WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN DIRECT CROSSWIND OF 9 KNS. THE CREW THAT WAS CONTRACTED TO FERRY THE ACFT NOTED, WHEN THEY PICKED IT UP, THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL OPEN EQUIPMENT DISCREPANCIES, INCLUDING ONE THAT STATED THAT THE PRIMARY PROP GROUND FINE PITCH CONTROL SYS WAS INOP. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT LNDG, THE CREW HAD MADE 2 LANDINGS USING THE SECONDARY SYS, WHICH INVOLVED ENGAGING THE GUST LOCK ON, MOMENTARILY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, TO ENGAGE THE PROP CONTROLS. THE PIC STATED THAT THIS PROCEDURE WAS DONE AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND THAT AT THE SAME TIME HE NOTICED THE ACFT VEERING LEFT. HE COULD NOT CORRECT WITH EITHER RUDDER OR NOSE GEAR STEERING.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,561 hours in all; 1,512 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3,192 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 39,115 lb
- Seats: 46
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 514-7 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampas FL at 6:42 pm
- Destination: HOU Houston TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from HOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.