Saab-Fairchild SF-340A incident near Fayetteville, Arkansas, February 2, 1988
On February 2, 1988 at about 4:58 pm local time, a Saab-Fairchild SF-340A, registered N322PX, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fayetteville, Arkansas (Drake Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 20 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 2, 1988 · about 4:58 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, Arkansas · Drake Field · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 20 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Fairchild SF-340A
- Registration
- N322PX · no longer on the register · serial 340A-041
- Damage
- Minor 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 CAPT RPRTD THAT DRG THE LNDG ROLL, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE LEFT ENG FOLLOWED BY HVY SMOKE & AN ENG FIRE WARNING BELL. HE STOPPED THE ACFT ON A TWY & ORDERED AN EVACUATION. THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD DIFFICULTY OPENING THE FLOOR-LEVEL EMERG EXIT. NO SLIDE OR ROPE WAS AVAILABLE FOR EXITING THE ACFT; 3 PSGRS RCVD MINOR INJURIES WHEN THEY DROPPED ABT 5-1/2 FT TO THE ICY TWY. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT ENG POWER TURBINE (PT) HAD AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE. A TEARDOWN INSPN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT A 'B' NUT ON THE STAGE 4 COMPRESSOR BLEED TUBE COUPLING HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF COOLING AIR TO THE PT ROTOR CAVITY & OVERHEATING OF THE STAGE 4 TURBING DISK. MEASUREMENT OF THE STAGE 3 & 4 DISKS SHOWED RADIAL (CREEP) GROWTH OF .006' & .150', RESPECTIVELY. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF HVY BLADE TIP RUBS INTO THE STATOR TIP SHROUD BACKING MATERIAL (DRG APPLICATION OF REVERSE THRUST), THEN FAILURE OF THE STAGE 4 TURBINE BLADES & THE PT MODULE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,314 hours in all; 287 in the last 90 days; 7,060 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,387 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 30, 1988; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 27,000 lb
- Seats: 30
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CT7-5A2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Express Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 3:25 pm
- Destination: FYV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,006 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from FYV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 17 |
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 N322PX 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.