Fairchild SA-227-AC accident near Sacramento, California, August 26, 1988
On August 26, 1988 at about 3:06 pm local time, a Fairchild SA-227-AC, registered N2683B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 13 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MECHANICS FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING AFTER MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1988 · about 3:06 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 13 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA-227-AC · all SA-227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N2683B · registry record · serial AC617
- 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
THE CREW STATED THAT WHILE ON THE GROUND AT SAN FRANCISCO, OIL WAS ADDED TO THE RIGHT ENGINE BY A MECHANIC. THE CAPTAIN STATED HE SAW THE SIX LATCHES DOWN AND THE COWLING HALVES WERE FLUSH. THE FIRST OFFICER DID NOT GET OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND CHECK THE COWLING SINCE THE CAPTAIN HAD BEEN OUTSIDE WITH THE MECHANIC. DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE TOP HALF OF THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. DURING SEPARATION, IT HIT THE CABIN WINDOW AT ROW 4 CAUSING IT TO BREAK & DEPRESSURIZE THE CABIN. A LADY SEATED AT 4C RECEIVED A CUT ON HER RIGHT FOREARM & HER PURSE WAS 'SUCKED OUT' THE OPENING. AN EXAM OF THE FAILED PARTS OF THE NACELLE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING CRACKS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 55 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,378 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 16, 1988; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 2:36 pm
- Destination: SMF Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 11 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX88LA303.