Swearingen SA-26-AT accident near Jacksonville, Florida, November 27, 2003
On November 27, 2003 at about 12:52 pm local time, a Swearingen SA-26-AT, registered N698X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Craig Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's descent below decision height while performing an ILS approach with low ceilings and fog, resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and the ground. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt the instrument approach with weather below the prescribed minimums.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2003 · about 12:52 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Craig Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-26-AT · all SA-26-ATs on the register
- Registration
- N698X · no longer on the register · serial T26-137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on an instrument flight from Beaumont, Texas, to Craig Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. According to the pilot's children who were passengers on the airplane, the pilot knew the destination airport was forecast to have fog upon their arrival. Air traffic controllers informed the pilot east of Tallahassee, Florida, the fog at his destination airport would not lift for at least an hour and a half. The pilot was informed the weather at Saint Augustine, Florida, was clear skies with two miles visibility. The pilot informed the controller that he would slow the airplane and continue to Craig. The pilot was subsequently cleared to descend and provided vectors for the ILS Runway 32 approach at Craig. The pilot informed the controller that he had the current automatic terminal information service (ATIS) information. The ATIS for Craig reported an indefinite ceiling with a vertical visibility of 100 feet, and one-quarter of a mile visibility. The weather minimums for the ILS runway 32 approach is a decision height of 241 feet, and one-half mile visibility. The controller informed the pilot to contact Craig Tower. The pilot contacted Craig Tower, and was instructed to report passing the final approach fix. The controller informed the pilot that Jacksonville International Airport had a runway visual range of more than 6,000 feet, and that airplanes were making it in. The controller asked the pilot what his intentions were in the event he made a missed approach. The pilot replied, "I got my brother bringing my mom there into your airfield, so I do not know, what do you think is best, what's closest." The controller replied Jacksonville was closer than Saint Augustine. The pilot informed the controller that he would go to Jacksonville in the event of a missed approach. The pilot was cleared to land, and there was no further radio contact between the pilot and Craig Tower. The airplane was located a short time later in a wooded area, 1.8 miles from the airport. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,263.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2003; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,030 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331-1-151 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BMT Beaumont TX at 10:00 am
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 3,998 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:16 pm from KCRG, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.