Fairchild SA226T accident near Livermore, California, May 4, 1985
On May 4, 1985 at about 4:42 am local time, a Fairchild SA226T, registered N444LM, was destroyed in an accident near Livermore, California (Livermore airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- May 4, 1985 · about 4:42 am local time
- Place
- Livermore, California · Livermore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA226T · all SA226Ts on the register
- Registration
- N444LM · registry record · serial T295
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT ON SHORT FINAL A MUFFLED 'POP' WAS HEARD AND THE ACFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS REGAINED AND THE ACFT LANDED HARD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENGS. RIGHT ENG PROP SLASH MARKS IN THE RWY INDICATE PWR WAS BEING PRODUCED ON THE ENG AT TOUCHDOWN.
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: 13,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 12,700 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,468 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 6, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,062 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-33134303G (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TRM Thermal CA at 3:00 am
- Destination: LVK Livermore CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,005 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 am from LVK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.