Fairchild SA 227-AC accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, August 25, 1992
On August 25, 1992 at about 10:15 am local time, a Fairchild SA 227-AC, registered N342AE, was destroyed in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas (Hot Springs Memorial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ASSURE PROPER TRAVEL DIRECTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROLS AFTER BEING MADE AWARE OF THE NATURE OF THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1992 · about 10:15 am local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · Hot Springs Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA 227-AC · all SA 227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N342AE · registry record · serial AC-545
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WAS BEING FLOWN FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 87-02-02 REQUIRING THE MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF ALL PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES. FOLLOWING LIFT-OFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START A RAPID ROLL TO THE RIGHT UNTIL INITIAL IMPACT WAS MADE WITH THE GROUND BY THE RIGHT WING TIP. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE A HALF TURN IN THE ROUTING OF THE REPLACED FLIGHT CONTROL CABLE WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED ON BOTH CONTROL COLUMNS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN THE AILERONS OPERATING IN REVERSE OF THE COMMANDED INPUT. THE PASSENGER WAS THE QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR WHO HAD INSPECTED AND SIGNED OFF THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED. ACCORDING TO OTHER COMPANY PERSONNEL, HE HAD BRIEFED THE CREW PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT ON THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST FLIGHT AND THE EXTENT OF THE MAINTENANCE THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD UNDERGONE.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,828 hours in all; 667 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 1,548 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,889 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 1992; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-611 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Lone Star Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: HOT at 11:15 am
- Destination: HOT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,099 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.