Fairchild SA227-AC accident near Bullhead City, Arizona, January 5, 1997
On January 5, 1997 at about 7:43 pm local time, a Fairchild SA227-AC, registered N165SW, was destroyed in an accident near Bullhead City, Arizona. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 19 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot(s) to use 'override' ignition as prescribed by checklist procedures during an encounter with icing conditions, which subsequently led to ice ingestion and dual engine flame-outs. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather (icing) conditions, the accumulation of airframe/engine ice, and lack of suitable terrain in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1997 · about 7:43 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Bullhead City, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 19 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SA227-AC · all SA227-ACs on the register
- Registration
- N165SW · registry record · serial AC-514
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After executing a missed approach at the Grand Canyon Airport, the pilots diverted to the Bullhead City Airport. The pilots reported that minimal icing conditions were encountered with about 1/8 inch of ice accumulating on the aircraft wings. The pilots stated they cycled the deice boots to shed ice. They did not observe ice on the propeller spinners, and they did not activate the engines' 'override' ignition systems, as required by the airplane's flight manual. Use of 'override' ignition was required for flight into visible moisture at or below +5 degrees Celsius (+41 degrees Fahrenheit) to prevent ice ingestion/flameouts. Subsequently, both engines flamed out as the airplane was on about a 3 mile final approach for landing with the landing gear and flaps extended. The aircraft was destroyed during an off-airport landing.
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: 3,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,111 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 3, 1997; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-11U612 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fng Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: GCN Grand Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:45 pm from KIF, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 19 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N165SW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N165SW on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Fairchild SA227 86 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Fairchild 616 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-11U612 7 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Long Beach (Daugherty Field) · departed from
- Grand Canyon Ntl Park Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,435 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N165SW 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX97FA082.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.