Casualties unknown

1986-12-16: Swearingen SA227AC (N164SW) — Skywest Airlines, Inc. — Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City, UT, US

On December 16, 1986, a Swearingen SA227AC (registration N164SW) operated by Skywest Airlines, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Salt Lake City, UT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

During an ILS approach in variable visibility from fog seeding, the first officer descended below decision height. After re-entering IMC, a missed approach was attempted but the aircraft struck an ILS antenna, separating the left main gear.

Approach and Missed Approach

The first officer was flying the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Salt Lake City (SLC). Fog seeding was in progress, causing variable visibilities. The approach began with runway visual range (RVR) well above Category I minima. At decision height (DH), the captain called out 'LIGHTS IN SITE'. The first officer continued the descent through DH. The aircraft then re-entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and the captain called for a missed approach. The first officer added power and established a wings-level, 10-degree nose-up attitude on the gyro horizon while the captain executed checklist items.

Contact with Antenna

The captain then noted that the aircraft was heading 20 degrees right of course and had a right-wing-down attitude on his gyro horizon. He called 'TURN LEFT AND PULL UP'. The aircraft's left main landing gear contacted a 45-foot-high ILS antenna stack located 1,049 feet down the runway, 400 feet right of the centerline. This contact separated the left main gear. The aircraft diverted to Pocatello Regional Airport (PIH), where additional damage was sustained during landing.

Equipment Findings

Post-incident tests revealed that the first officer's gyro horizon had bad bearings and the 'OFF' flag was inoperative. Additionally, the first officer's altimeter read 100 feet high.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X35434. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.