Amateur-built SWEARINGEN SX300 accident near Montgomery, Alabama, December 27, 1992
On December 27, 1992 at about 8:44 pm local time, a amateur-built SWEARINGEN SX300, registered N336SX, was destroyed in an accident near Montgomery, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN FUEL LEAKS AND HIS FAILURE TO MONITOR FUEL QUANTITY EN ROUTE WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1992 · about 8:44 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SWEARINGEN SX300 SWEARINGEN
- Registration
- N336SX · no longer on the register · serial 36
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FILLED THE FUEL TANKS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND FLEW AN UNKNOWN LENGTH OF TIME BACK TO HIS HOME AIRPORT. THE PILOT THEN FLEW FOR 3.0 HOURS ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT'S HOBBS METER ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. JUST BEFORE THE ENGINE FAILURE THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC A LOW FUEL STATE, AND AS THE ENGINE WAS FAILING THE PILOT REPORTED 'I AM RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.' THE RESCUE PERSONNEL WHO FIRST ARRIVED AT THE SCENE REPORTED THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKAGE, FUEL ODOR, OR FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THE RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS HAD VISIBLE FUEL LEAKS AND FRESH SEALANT WAS VISIBLE IN ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE LEAKS. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT KIT MANUFACTURER THE AIRCRAFT HAS A NORMAL ENDURANCE OF ABOUT 4 HOURS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 183 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1992; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-L1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD38 West Palm Beach FL at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MGM, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.