Swearingen SA226TC N56EA

Summary

On 31 January 1990 at about 03:15 local time, a Swearingen SA226TC registered N56EA, operated by Empire Airlines, was involved in an accident near Coeur D'alene, Idaho, United States. 21 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 January 1990 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Coeur D'alene, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Coeur D'alene (COE)

Coordinates

47.5900, -116.9105

Aircraft

Swearingen SA226TC

Registration

N56EA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Empire Airlines

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA90LA037

Nobody was injured.

THE LOSS OF THE FLIGHT CREW'S VISUAL PERCEPTION, DUE TO AN UNFORESEEN WHITEOUT CONDITION. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE SNOWBANK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER REACHING THE AIRPORT, IMC PREVAILED AND LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING. AT THE DECISION HEIGHT, THE APPROACH LIGHTS AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE IN SIGHT. THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH SNOW. DURING THE FLARE TO LAND, THE PILOT LOST DEPTH PERCEPTION AND RUNWAY ALIGNMENT FROM BLOWING SNOW. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AND THE PILOT BELIEVEDTHE PLANE WAS SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE. HE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A SNOWBANK WITH DAMAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.