Embraer EMB-120 accident near Monterey, California, February 26, 2001
On February 26, 2001 at about 5:55 am local time, a Embraer EMB-120, registered N288SW, was involved in an accident near Monterey, California. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 32 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
moisture contamination of the elevator trim actuators, which allowed the units to freeze at altitude resulting in an abrupt pitch change when the units thawed at lower altitudes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2001 · about 5:55 am local time
- Place
- Monterey, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 32 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120 · all EMB-120s on the register
- Registration
- N288SW · no longer on the register · serial 120316
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The lone cabin attendant in the aft end of the airplane sustained a broken ankle when she was thrown to the floor after the airplane experienced an abrupt pitch change during descent. The captain had the autopilot engaged as the airplane descended through 10,000 feet mean sea level. The nose pitched down violently about 10 degrees, and then the nose pitched back up. The captain disengaged the autopilot and hand flew the airplane to touchdown. The Brasilia has two elevator trim actuators. The manufacturer discovered moisture and corrosion in some of the actuators submitted for repair after similar occurrences. They suspected that leaking seals allowed moisture into the actuators, which froze at altitude. In numerous instances, the actuators functioned properly after descent to lower altitudes and warmer temperatures, where the units thawed. One unit was dirty, corroded, and had overspray on it. It leaked from the shaft seals and autoloc seal. It failed the non-jamming stop test. It's two shaft housings contained moisture. The chain and pins were corroded, the packing had deteriorated, and the springs were weak. One side of the rollers was not chamfered, and staking warped some screws. The hub was worn and not functioning properly. The second unit was dirty and had overspray on it. The actuator leaked from the shaft seals. The actuator had excessive backlash and failed the tangential free play test. It's two shaft housings contained moisture. The chain, pins, shafts, and housings were corroded. The packing had deteriorated, and the bearings were rough and binding. The rollers only had one chamfered side. The shim was not with the unit.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,418 hours in all; 3,790 in this make and model; 206 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,474 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: November 18, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,650 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 21, 2001; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,433 lb
- Seats: 33
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-118B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 5:00 am
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from MRY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 30 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX01LA105.