Saab-Fairchild SF340A incident near Lincoln, Nebraska, October 29, 1985
On October 29, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Saab-Fairchild SF340A, registered N342AM, was involved in an incident near Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 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 incident. 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
- October 29, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Nebraska · Lincoln · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Fairchild SF340A
- Registration
- N342AM · no longer on the register · serial 340A-011
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLL AT THE LINCOLN AIRPORT, THE OUTBOARD WHEEL OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE. THE ACFT WAS NOT HAMPERED IN ITS LANDING ROLL AND TAXITHE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT A RETAINING NUT WASHER WAS NOT INSTALLED ON THIS ASSEMBLY. THIS ALLOWED THE WHEEL TO SHIFT SIDEWARDS AND SUBSEQUENTLY FALL FREE FROM THE AXLE. MAINTENACE RECORDS SHOWED THAT THIS WHEEL HAD BEEN CHANGED 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT.
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: 19,000 hours in all; 650 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,598 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 29, 1985; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 27,000 lb
- Seats: 30
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CT7-5A2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Midwest
The flight
- Departed from: MCI Kansas City MO at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LNK Lincoln NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 8,620 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from LNK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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 N342AM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.