Raleigh/Durham Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cary, North Carolina 27515
Friday, February 19, 1988 21:27 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DURING LOW CEILING, LOW VISIBILITY, AND NIGHT CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A RESERVOIR. ANALYSIS OF RADAR DATA INDICATED THE ACFT WAS IN A 45 DEGREE DESCENDING TURN. EXAM OF THE ACFT TRIM SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS TRIMMED FOR LEVEL FLIGHT. THERE WAS NO VOICE OR FLIGHT DATA RECORDER ON BOARD. A REVIEW OF ATC COMMUNICATIONS INDICATED THAT THE CAPTAIN WAS COMMUNICATING WITH ATC ALLOWING THE FIRST OFFICER TO ACCOMP-LISH THE FLYING DUTIES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF POWERPLANT OR SYSTEM FAILURES. HOWEVER, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE SAS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE SAS SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, AND NO SAS SYSTEMMALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT BEFORE THE FLIGHT THE CAPTAIN HAD COMPLAINED OF ILLNESS BUT HE DECIDEDTO REPORT FOR DUTY. COMPANY RECORDS SHOWED INSTANCES OF SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE BY THE FIRST OFFICER. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND COMPANY OVERSIGHT OF TRAINING, OPERATIONS, AND INADEQUATE FAA SUPERVISION. (SEE NTSB/AAR-88/10)

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2127
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CARY
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27515
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RALEIGH/DURHAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RDU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 437
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2136
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 441
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 2400
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 226
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 12
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 12
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 399
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35754
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N622AV
NTSB Number DCA88MA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FAIRCHILD
Aircraft Model SA227-AC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA227-AC
Aircraft Serial Number AC-622
Certified Max Gross Weight 14500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 15 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4222
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVAIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address POST OFFICE BOX 10065
Aircraft Owner City LYNCHBURG
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24506
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVAIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code FAVA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RDU
Departure City RALEIGH
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RIC
Destination City RICHMOND
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23R
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --