Fairchild SW3 accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, September 29, 1991
On September 29, 1991 at about 1:17 am local time, a Fairchild SW3, registered N159MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Atlantic City Itnl. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE DOWN LOCK ROLLER BEARINGS OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPER MODIFICATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1991 · about 1:17 am local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Atlantic City Itnl.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild SW3
- Registration
- N159MC · registry record · serial 728
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 31. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE A MODIFICATION TO INCREASE ITS GROSS OPERATING WEIGHT FROM 14,500 TO 16,000 POUNDS. IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH ACTUATOR POSITIONING CAMS HAD BEEN GROUND DOWN AT THE DOWN LOCK LOBES. REMOVAL OF MATERIAL FROM THE CAMS IS NOT AUTHORIZED ON THIS AIRPLANE. BOTH RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK ROLLER BEARING OUTER RACES HAD FAILED. THE FAA FOUND ONE BEARING IN PIECES ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE OTHER WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 162.5 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days; 402 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,205 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 26, 1991; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,100 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE33111U612G (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Jet Express, INC.
The flight
- Runway 31, 10,000 ft by 180 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear at 5 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N159MC 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.