Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AT accident near Spokane, Washington, November 29, 2003
On November 29, 2003 at about 4:01 pm local time, a Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AT, registered N439AF, was destroyed in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Felts Field). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain proper glidepath alignment during an ILS approach in poor weather resulting in collision with trees and terrain. Contributing factors were the unreliable status of the primary (NAV 1) ILS receiver (leaving the pilot with only the secondary (NAV 2) ILS receiver), the low ceilings and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2003 · about 4:01 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Felts Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Swearingen SA227-AT
- Registration
- N439AF · no longer on the register · serial AT-439B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who had more than 3,340 hours of pilot-in-command time in the make/model of the accident aircraft, and was very familiar with the destination airport and its ILS approach procedure, departed on a cargo flight in the SA227 turboprop aircraft. The aircraft was dispatched with the primary (NAV 1) ILS receiver having been deferred (out of service) due to unreliable performance the evening before the accident, thus leaving the aircraft with the secondary (NAV 2) ILS receiver for ILS use. The pilot arrived in the destination terminal area and was given vectors to intercept the ILS localizer, and radar data showed the aircraft intercepting and tracking the localizer accurately throughout the approach. Mode C altitude readouts showed the aircraft approaching from below the glideslope at the required intercept altitude of 4,100 feet, passing through and above the glideslope and then initiating a relatively constant descent, the angle of which exceeded the glideslope angle of -3.5 degrees. Weather at the destination airport was 400 foot overcast and the decision height for the ILS/DME runway 21R approach was 270 feet. The aircraft passed through the tops of trees in level flight about 530 feet above the airport elevation and slightly under 3 nautical miles from the runway threshold. The pilot was given a low altitude alert by the tower and acknowledged, reporting that he was descending through 2,800 feet, which was confirmed on the mode C radar readout. At that point the aircraft was well below the ILS glideslope and about 13 seconds from impacting the trees. Post crash examination of information captured from the left and right HSI units and an RMI revealed that the NAV 1 receiver was most likely set on the ILS frequency, and the NAV 2 receiver was most likely set on Spokane VORTAC, a terminal navigation facility located very slightly right of the nose of the aircraft and 14 nautical miles southwest of the destination airport.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,253 hours in all; 4,406 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 5,187 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,126 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 3, 2003; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett-Airesearch TPE331-11U (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett-Airesearch TPE331-11U (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 3:07 pm
- Destination: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21R, 4,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SFF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.