Swearingen SA 226TC accident near Los Angeles, California, March 23, 1985
On March 23, 1985 at about 4:26 am local time, a Swearingen SA 226TC, registered CGYRD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 12 others were unhurt. 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
- March 23, 1985 · about 4:26 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 12 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA 226TC · all SA 226TCs on the register
- Registration
- CGYRD · no longer on the register · serial TC278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THIS LEG OF THE FLT, THE 1ST OFFICER (FO) WAS FLYING THE ACFT WHILE THE CAPTAIN (CAPT) WAS MONITORING & CONDUCTING ATC COMMUNICATIONS. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCREW HAD FOLLOWED THE CHECKLIST DURING ARRIVAL; HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITHTHE GEAR RETRACTED. WHEN THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, PIECES OF THE R PROP BLADES BROKE OFF & ENTERED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, BETWEEN & BELOW THE 1ST & 2ND WINDOWS. FIVE PIECES PENETRATED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT & SERIOUSLY INJURED A PASSENGER IN THE 1ST ROW. THE OTHER 1ST ROW PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CAPT STATED HE HAD PUT THE GEAR HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE FO REMEMBERED CALLING FOR GEAR EXTENSION, BUT DID NOT RECALL ACTUALLY NOTICING THE GEARBEING LOWERED. DAMAGES INDICATED THE GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE GEAR & WARNING SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED & THEY FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FO HAD PULLED THE GEAR WARNING CIRCUIT BREAKER (CB) ON THE PREV FLT, BUT HAD RESET IT. HE SPECULATED THE CB MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY IN (NOT FULLY RESET); THUS, DEACTIVATING THE GEAR WARNING SYSTEM.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,993 hours in all; 1,658 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 18, 1985; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IPL Imperial CA at 3:42 am
- Runway 25R, 12,091 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 am from LAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 10 |
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.