Swearingen SA26T Merlin II crash, Jul 7, 1998 (2 killed)
Swearingen SA26T Merlin II accident on July 7, 1998 near Saint George, Alaska, United States with 2 fatalities. Cause: The crew did not monitor the NDB...
- Date: July 7, 1998
- Aircraft: Swearingen SA26T Merlin II
- Location: Saint George, Alaska, United States
- Fatalities: 2
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: The crew did not monitor the NDB approach properly and descended below the minimum descent altitude, with the copilot failing to intercept the correct bearing. The captain's overconfidence, the cliffs, and the low ceiling were contributing factors.
A Swearingen Merlin IIB positioning flight from Anchorage to Saint George, Alaska, was on an NDB approach in a 100 ft overcast. The aircraft descended below the minimum descent altitude and struck cliffs about 5.5 miles from the airport, and both crew were killed. The copilot had very limited experience in the type, and the NDB indicator was partly blocked from the captain's view.