Fairchild SA227-AC N438MA

Summary

On 12 October 1999 at about 00:24 local time, a Fairchild SA227-AC registered N438MA, operated by Merlin Express, Inc., was involved in an accident near Opa Locka, Florida, United States. 2 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

12 October 1999 at 00:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Opa Locka, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Opa Locka (OPF)

Coordinates

25.9098, -80.2708

Aircraft

Fairchild SA227-AC

Registration

N438MA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Merlin Express, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Miami → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA00LA004

Nobody was injured.

The improper flare by the co-pilot, and the failure of the captain to take remedial action by applying power to arrest the observed high rate of descent resulting in a hard landing. A finding in the accident was the inadequate maintenance adjustment of the right engine controls which diminished directional control capability while on the runway following the hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

It was the first officer's leg and after bringing both power levers to flight idle while on final approach at 30-50 feet, the captain later reported hearing, 'both engines go into a ground idle.' She verified that both power levers were forward of the gate, then noted the sink rate increased. The airplane bounced then after touchdown, the captain brought both power levers to ground idle; the airplane veered to the right. She attempted to maintain runway centerline with asymmetric reverse but the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The airplane touched down 484 feet from the approach end of the runway; distance between the first and second gouge in the runway from the right propeller indicates the ground speed was 92 knots. Examination of the airplane revealed compression wrinkles on the lower wing skin at the wing splice location. Rigging check of both engine controls revealed no evidence of improper rigging at the flight idle position; improper rigging was noted at the low and high reverse positions for the right engine. Previous discrepancies were written up pertaining to asymmetric reverse. No previous reports of high rates of descent when power levers brought to flight idle position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.