Swearingen (Fairchild) · Turboprop
Fairchild Swearingen Metro
Is the Fairchild Swearingen Metro safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 53 airliner families we rate, with 19 fatal accidents counted in about 4.5 million passenger flights.
How the score is built
- Fatal passenger accidents
- 19 in 4.5 million flights
4.2 fatal passenger accidents per million flights. Counted: passenger flights, accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 15.5
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 4.5 million
Estimated passenger departures. Passenger departures 1970 to 7 October 2026. 2019-2022: OpenSky flights by passenger airlines, re-weighted to World Bank departures country by country. Other years: fleet model (deliveries with a median passenger service life of about 29 years, about 337 departures per aircraft per year, calibrated on OpenSky 2022). Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
- Technology generation
- Classic turboprop (designed before about 1980)
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of their generation: 2.9 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 127 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 60%.
- Last fatal passenger accident
- 10 November 2013
Bearskin Airlines flight JV311, ca 0,8 km S of Red Lake Airport, ON (YRL), Canada: 5 of 7 people on board died.
- Hull losses
- 121
Civil aircraft destroyed or written off from all causes, including non-fatal accidents, cargo flights and attacks; airframes flown by air forces on military operations are left out (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Fairchild Swearingen Metro carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- A day of skiing1 in 1.3 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- One flight on the Fairchild Swearingen MetroThis aircraft1 in 310,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
Accident history
19 fatal accidents count toward the score, with 175 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bearskin Airlines JV311SA227-AC Metro III · ca 0,8 km S of Red Lake Airport, ON (YRL), Canada | 5 / 7 on board | On final to Red Lake a turbine blade failed in the left engine, which kept running at almost no power with its propeller at a low pitch. The crew could not identify the problem, speed fell below minimum control speed and the aircraft rolled into trees.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| AeroconSA227-AC Metro III · Riberalta Airport (RIB), Bolivia | 8 / 18 on board | On short final in rain to Riberalta, the Metro turned right and struck the ground about 300 m before the runway threshold; it came to rest upside down and burned. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Perimeter Aviation PAG993SA227-AC Metro III · Sanikiluaq Airport, NU (YSK), Canada | 1 / 9 on board | After failed approaches to Sanikiluaq without proper charts and with a tailwind, the crew came in steep and fast, rejected the landing low over the runway and hit the ground past its end. An infant held on a lap without a restraint was killed.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| AeroconSA227-BC Metro III · 8 km NW of Trinidad Airport (TDD), Bolivia | 8 / 9 on board | The Metro crashed into jungle while approaching Trinidad's runway 14. The wreck was found two days later and the sole survivor a day after that. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Manx2, lsf Flightline NM7100SA227-BC Metro III · Cork Airport (ORK), Ireland | 6 / 12 on board | On a third approach to Cork in fog, a crew approved only for CAT I continued below decision height without seeing the runway. During a go-around attempt the power levers were pulled below flight idle, the aircraft rolled and hit the runway upside down.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Aero-Tropics Air Services, lsf Transair AustraliaSA227-DC Metro 23 · 12 km NW of Lockhart River Airport, QLD (IRG), Australia | 15 / 15 on board | On an RNAV approach to Lockhart River in low cloud, the crew descended early and fast, went below the step-down altitudes and flew into a timbered ridge about 90 ft below its crest. The copilot was not trained for the approach and the operator's oversight was weak.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Ryan Blake Air CharterSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Mount Kenya, Kenya | 14 / 14 on board | On a sightseeing loop around Mount Kenya on the way to Samburu, the crew lost track of the high ground and flew into the slope of Point Lenana about 450 ft below the summit. Poor briefing and air traffic coordination were also cited.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| PropairSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Montreal-Mirabel International Airport, QC (YMX), Canada | 11 / 11 on board | Dragging left brakes overheated on takeoff and leaking hydraulic fluid ignited in the wheel well. The crew never identified the fire and diverted to Mirabel, where the weakened left wing failed on short final and the aircraft crashed inverted.Type: FireASN record | |
| Servicio Aéreo Vargas España - SAVE, lsf STAPSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · La Vertiente, Bolivia | 10 / 19 on board | The aircraft crashed about 300 m from the runway shortly after departing La Vertiente. Early reports pointed to an engine failure.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| Bearskin AirlinesSA227-CC Metro 23 · Sioux Falls, ON, Canada | 3 / 3 on board | Approaching Sioux Lookout in clear daylight, the aircraft collided with a departing Piper Navajo. Neither crew saw the other in time, and neither was alerted by the flight service specialist or onboard equipment.Type: Mid-air collisionASN record | |
| Aero CuahonteSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · 5,9 km NNW of Uruapan Airport (UPN), Mexico | 9 / 9 on board | After two visual approaches were abandoned in poor visibility, the pilot turned left to line up with the opposite runway, against the published procedure, and the aircraft struck a mountain at about 3,900 ft.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| SkyWest AirlinesSA227-AC Metro III · Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX), United States of America | 12 / 12 on board | Holding on the runway at night awaiting takeoff, the commuter was hit from behind by a landing USAir 737 after the controller lost track of it; both aircraft slid in flames into a fire station. The NTSB blamed tower management and FAA oversight.Type: Runway collisionASN record | |
| Skylink AirlinesSwearingen SA227-AC Metro III · Terrace Airport, BC (YXT), Canada | 7 / 7 on board | The crew pressed on past the missed approach point without the required visual references and circled low near a ridge. During the go-around in cloud the aircraft, apparently flown by disoriented pilots, descended into trees and burned.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Air LittoralSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Montluçon-Guéret (Lepaud) Airport (MCU), France | 4 / 4 on board | Soon after a night takeoff the nose pitched down and the aircraft struck the ground beyond the runway end and burned. An unwanted stick-pusher activation was the likely cause but could not be proven; the lack of visual references also played a role.Type: System failureASN record | |
| American Eagle, opb AVAirSA227-AC Metro III · 1,5 km W of Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC (RDU), United States of America | 12 / 12 on board | Shortly after takeoff the crew failed to keep a proper flight path, possibly reacting to a perceived stall-avoidance system fault, and the aircraft flew into a reservoir near the shore. Weak training oversight was also cited.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Nürnberger Flugdienst - NFDSwearingen SA227-AC Metro III · 2 km N of Kettwig, Germany | 21 / 21 on board | Declining a vector around a thunderstorm on final, the crew flew into it and lightning knocked out all electrical power, cockpit lighting, flaps and trim. The aircraft went out of control and broke up in flight.Type: Windshear or stormASN record | |
| Trans-Colorado Airlines, opf Continental ExpressSwearingen SA227-AC Metro III · 8 km NE of Durango-La Plata Airport, CO (DRO), United States of America | 8 / 17 on board | On an unstabilized night VOR/DME approach the aircraft went below the published profile and hit the ground about 5 miles short. The NTSB cited the first officer's flying, the captain's poor monitoring and his cocaine use.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| SkyWest AirlinesSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Kearns, UT, United States of America | 8 / 8 on board | While approaching Salt Lake City at about 7,000 ft, the commuter plane hit a Mooney on a training flight and both fell into a residential area. The NTSB said the Mooney instructor strayed into controlled airspace without clearance; it had no Mode C transponder.Type: Mid-air collisionASN record | |
| Air WisconsinSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · ca 5 km N of Valley, NE, United States of America | 13 / 15 on board | Descending through worsening turbulence, the Metro flew into severe thunderstorms and heavy rain drowned both engines. They were relit too late and it struck a field and flipped. Poor sharing of weather data by ATC and forecasters also contributed.Type: Windshear or stormASN record |
Listed but not counted
These events did not happen on regular passenger flights or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Lime Air LYM308SA227-AC Metro III · 5,5 km ESE of Camilla, GA, United States of America | 1 / 1 on board | Cargo flight. Flying at night into an area of heavy storms he had been warned about, the Metro freighter pilot became disoriented and lost control, and the aircraft broke up in flight.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| CAE AviationSA227-AT Expediter · Malta-Luqa Airport (MLA), Malta | 5 / 5 on board | Not a scheduled passenger flight. Seconds after takeoff from Malta on a surveillance mission, the Metro pitched up to 34 degrees, stalled, rolled nearly inverted and dived into the ground. A technical fault, most likely in the elevator control run, tied to old modifications and unsuitable maintenance, was blamed.Type: System failureASN record | |
| Aeronaves TSMSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · near Querétaro Airport (QRO), Mexico | 5 / 5 on board | Test flight. On a post-maintenance test flight from Querétaro, control was lost after passing about 9,000 ft, and the Metro hit the side of a highway and burned. No mechanical fault was found; poor coordination, supervision and safety culture were cited.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Carson AirSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · 11 km N of North Vancouver, BC, Canada | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Climbing out of Vancouver, the Metro freighter abruptly pitched down and dived at extreme speed, breaking up in flight. Why it descended was never determined, but the captain had a very high blood alcohol level, which almost certainly played a role.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| IBC AirwaysSA227-AC Metro III · 2 km SSW of La Alianza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Descending towards San Juan at night in fine weather, the Metro freighter turned and dived at up to 21,000 ft per minute; excessive elevator input overstressed it and it broke up. What triggered the initial loss of control was not found.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Air Class Líneas AéreasSwearingen SA227-AC Metro III · 1,5 km S off Isla de Flores, Rio de la Plata, Uruguay | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight that went into the Rio de la Plata after turning off course in the climb from Montevideo. Investigators found the crew lost control while flying on false instrument readings, as an AC electrical system was left unpowered, with possible ice build-up.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Airtex AviationSA227-AC Metro III · 19 km SE off Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW (SYD), Australia | 1 / 1 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight that turned the wrong way after leaving Sydney; the pilot reported a minor technical fault, then the aircraft went into the sea. Investigators found AC power was likely never on, leaving no attitude display or autopilot, and the pilot became disoriented.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| TriCoastal AirSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · near Paris, TN, United States of America | 1 / 1 on board | Cargo flight. Cargo flight carrying car parts that reported a fuel imbalance at FL160, asked for the nearest airport, then called mayday and dived almost vertically into woods. The NTSB found a loss of control after the reported imbalance, for reasons not determined.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Airwork, NZSA227-AC Metro III · 6 km E of Stratford, New Zealand | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Night mail flight in which the crew fed fuel across to fix an imbalance using rudder trim. The autopilot likely dropped out, the aircraft rolled into a spiral dive they could not recover, and it broke up in the air over farmland.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Aerotransporte PetroleroSA227-AC Metro III · Carepa-Antonio Roldán Betancourt Airport (SKLC), Colombia | 5 / 7 on board | Not a scheduled passenger flight. Flight with passengers to Carepa that crashed 300 ft short of the runway. Investigators found the crew flew an undisciplined approach, ignored seven ground proximity alarms, then lost an engine at 200 ft and let the aircraft stall.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| TadairSA227-AC Metro III · Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), Spain | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight that crashed by the runway threshold at Palma and slid into the PAPI lights. Investigators found the crew flew a very tight, low, descending turn onto final, outside normal procedures, and lost control, possibly as the wing began to stall.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Perimeter Airlines (Inland)Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II · 1 km from Shamattawa Airport, MB (ZTM), Canada | 2 / 3 on board | Not a scheduled passenger flight. Night medevac flight sent to collect a patient at Shamattawa. The crew abandoned an approach that was too high and fast, but did not hold a proper climb; a likely somatogravic illusion led them to fly into trees past the runway.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Superior AviationSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Fort Wayne Municipal Airport/Baer Field, IN (FWA), United States of America | 1 / 1 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight that hit trees and burned just after takeoff from Fort Wayne in low cloud. The NTSB found the right AC bus apparently failed during the takeoff, leaving the lone pilot with a heavy workload.Type: System failureASN record | |
| Swiftair SWT704SA227-AC Metro III · Barcelona Airport (BCN), Spain | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight also used for a refresher check. On the approach to Barcelona the crew shut down the right engine to practise, then let the speed decay with gear down; the aircraft rolled wildly and crashed beside the airport.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Ibertrans AéreaSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · 4 km W of Barcelona Airport (BCN), Spain | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. Night cargo flight that turned back soon after leaving Barcelona, possibly with a left engine problem. On the approach in fog it went below the glide path and off the centreline into trees; crew fatigue was a likely factor.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| TamairSA227-AC Metro III · 0,5 km ESE Tamworth Airport, NSW (TMW), Australia | 2 / 3 on board | Training flight. Night type-conversion training flight in which the check pilot pulled the left engine to flight idle seconds after liftoff to simulate a failure. The aircraft failed to climb, hit a tree and the ground beyond the runway and burned; idle-power drag was poorly understood.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| City Air CargoSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · near Neuquén, NE, Argentina | 1 / 3 on board | Unlawful interference (sabotage, hijacking or shoot-down). Cargo flight in which the copilot went back during the climb from Neuquén to check the load, worked the handle of the rear cargo door and fell out when it opened.Type: OtherASN record | |
| Aviation ServicesSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Hartford-Brainard Airport, CT (HFD), United States of America | 2 / 2 on board | Ferry flight without passengers. Positioning flight that came in to land at Hartford with the gear up; the warning horn breaker had been pulled on earlier flights. The propellers hit the runway, the crew tried to go around below safe speed, and the plane crashed into the river.Type: Hard landing or abnormal runway contactASN record | |
| Lone Star AirlinesSA227-AC Metro III · ca 1 km SE of Hot Springs-Memorial Field, AR (HOT), United States of America | 3 / 3 on board | Test flight. Post-maintenance test flight after all primary control cables were replaced. The aileron cables had been routed wrongly, so the controls worked in reverse; the plane rolled right on liftoff and crashed. The NTSB also faulted the pilot for not checking control movement.Type: System failureASN record | |
| Air NiagaraSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Lake Ontario, ON, Canada | 2 / 2 on board | Ferry flight without passengers. The Metro came down in Lake Ontario on a ferry flight from Toronto to Hamilton, killing both pilots. No cause is recorded.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Air-Lift CommuterSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · Wilmington-New Hanover County Airport, NC (ILM), United States of America | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. On a cargo flight, the right engine's turbine burst on take-off and caught fire. The Metro crossed the runway end at about 150 feet and fell into trees nose-high. The NTSB faulted the pilot's handling and choices, plus an old stator part not made to the latest standard.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| Britt AirwaysSwearingen SA226-TC Metro II · 3 km SSW of Terre Haute-Hulman Field, IN (HUF), United States of America | 3 / 3 on board | Ferry flight without passengers. Flown by two senior company captains with one staff member aboard, the Metro dived steeply soon after take-off and crashed well beyond and left of the runway. The NTSB could not determine why.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Pioneer AirlinesSwearingen SA227-AC Metro III · 32 km SSW of Pueblo Memorial Airport, CO (PUB), United States of America | 2 / 2 on board | Cargo flight. On a night freight run, the Metro was cleared down to 7,500 feet and then flew level at over 200 knots into terrain. The NTSB cited the pilot's inattention to altitude; the co-pilot was found to have inhaled vomit.Type: Flight into terrainASN record |
The Fairchild Swearingen Metro is a pressurised 19-seat commuter turboprop that was a mainstay of North American commuter airlines and now mostly hauls cargo. Up to 7 October 2026 our data holds 19 fatal passenger accidents in an estimated 4.5 million passenger flights. That flight count is modelled, with a margin of about 25%, so read the record as a good approximation rather than a precise rate.
What the Metro is
Ed Swearingen's company in San Antonio, Texas, stretched its Merlin business aircraft into the Metro, which first flew in 1969 and entered service in 1970. Fairchild later took over the firm. The Metro II (SA226) and Metro III (SA227) were the main passenger versions, and the Metro 23 of 1990 is an updated Metro III. There is also a freighter, the Expediter, and a US military version, the C-26. Production ended in 2001 after about 700.
It has a low wing, two Garrett TPE331 turboprops and a long, narrow cabin that most adults cannot stand up in. It was fast for its size, and US commuter airlines bought it in numbers in the 1970s and 1980s.
Where you fly on one today
About 250 Metros still fly, but only about 110 were in passenger service in 2019. In Canada, Perimeter Aviation and Bearskin Airlines have used them on routes to small northern towns. Some regional and charter operators in Australia and Latin America still carry passengers in them. Most of the rest fly overnight parcels and freight.
The fatal record
Our data lists 42 fatal Metro events. Twenty-three do not count, 14 of them cargo flights, plus ferry, test, training and other flights. Our methodology explains why. Among the 19 that count:
- 8 February 1988, NFD 108, near Düsseldorf: the crew flew into a thunderstorm on approach after a warning about lightning strikes; all 21 died.
- 1 February 1991, SkyWest 5569, Los Angeles: the Metro was waiting on the runway when a USAir Boeing 737 landed on it. US investigators blamed air traffic control procedures; all 12 on the Metro died.
- 7 May 2005, Transair, Lockhart River, Queensland: the aircraft flew into terrain during an instrument approach in cloud; all 15 died. Australian investigators found serious weaknesses in the operator's training, procedures and safety management, and no terrain warning system on board.
- 10 February 2011, Manx2 7100, Cork: loss of control during a go-around below decision height in fog; 6 of 12 died.
- 10 November 2013, Bearskin 311, Red Lake, Ontario: an engine lost power at about 500 ft on final and the crew lost control; 5 of 7 died.
Others include Aerocon in Bolivia in 2011 and 2013 and a Perimeter flight at Sanikiluaq in 2012, where an infant died.
The aircraft or the operation?
Most Metro crashes came from weather, crew decisions and thin oversight at small operators. Lockhart River and Cork both ended with findings against the operator as much as the crew, and Los Angeles was not the Metro's doing at all. Red Lake is the case that touches the aircraft: an internal engine failure that left the propeller creating drag, a hard emergency for two pilots to diagnose at low height. No counted fatal accident has happened since 2013.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show SW4, a code shared with the Merlin IV business version. On the ground, look for a long, slim fuselage with a low wing and a pointed nose. Compare it with the Beechcraft 1900 and the Jetstream, which flew the same commuter routes; on all three, the airline is the better guide.
Questions people ask
Where can you still fly on a Metro?
Mostly on short regional and charter routes in Canada, such as Perimeter Aviation's services in Manitoba and Bearskin Airlines in north-western Ontario, on regional routes in Australia and with small carriers in Latin America. Fewer than half of the roughly 250 Metros still flying carry passengers; the rest fly parcels and freight.
What happened on Manx2 flight 7100?
On 10 February 2011 the Metro III was on its third attempt to land at Cork in fog. The crew went below decision height without seeing the runway, then lost control during a late go-around; 6 of the 12 on board died. Irish investigators also pointed to crew fatigue, weak training and poor oversight of the operator.
Is the Metro hard to fly with one engine out?
It can be. In the 2013 Bearskin crash, a turbine blade failed on final approach, the engine kept running but gave almost no power, and the crew did not identify the problem in time. Canada's investigators warned that pilots should not rely on the automatic drag protection alone and should run the engine failure checklist promptly.
Is the record for the Metro reliable?
Less than for an airliner. Our count of about 4.5 million passenger flights since 1970 uses flight-tracking data for 2019 to 2022 and a fleet model for other years, with a margin of roughly 25%. The accident list is solid; the number of flights behind it is an estimate.
Sources
- 1.ASN record: SkyWest Metro III and USAir 1493, Los Angeles, 1 February 1991 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 2.ASN record: Transair Metro 23, Lockhart River, 7 May 2005 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 3.ASN record: Manx2 flight 7100, Cork, 10 February 2011 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 4.ASN record: Bearskin Airlines flight 311, Red Lake, 10 November 2013 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 5.ASN record: NFD flight 108, Kettwig, 8 February 1988 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 6.Crowdsourced air traffic data from the OpenSky Network 2019-2022 (opens in a new tab) · OpenSky Network (Zenodo)
- 7.SafetyScorer exposure model: OpenSky Network flights 2019-2022, World Bank departures, fleet model (opens in a new tab)Passenger departures 1970 to 7 October 2026. 2019-2022: OpenSky flights by passenger airlines, re-weighted to World Bank departures country by country. Other years: fleet model (deliveries with a median passenger service life of about 29 years, about 337 departures per aircraft per year, calibrated on OpenSky 2022). Uncertainty roughly ±25%.