Aero Commander 100 N3636X

Summary

On 20 September 1983 at about 16:10 local time, a Aero Commander 100 registered N3636X was involved in an accident near Palm Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 September 1983 at 16:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Palm Springs, California, United States

Coordinates

33.8503, -116.5594

Aircraft

Aero Commander 100

Registration

N3636X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Riverside → Parker

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

Unk

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83LA452

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX. HE WAS AN INSTRUMENT PLT, BUT HAD CHOSEN NOT TO FILE & FLY UNDER IFR DUE TO TERRAIN, WX, LOW PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT & LACK OF PITOT HEAT. THE PLT NOTED A CEILING AT 5500 FT MSL WHEN HE CROSSED BANNING PASS. HE SAW DARK CLOUDS & HEAVY RAIN IN THE PALM SPRINGS & BERMUDA DUNES AREA. THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF DESERT HOT SPRINGS WERE COVERED WITH CLOUDS, SO HE TRIED TO GET THRU YUCCA VALLEY WHERE THE WX LOOKED BETTER. HOWEVER, LOW CEILINGS & RAIN WERE ENCOUNTERED, SO THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO RIVERSIDE, CA. HE SOON ENCOUNTERED 'A FAST WESTERLY MOVING MASS OF CLOUDS THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND.' DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE STORM, HE WAS FORCED TO LAND QUICKLY & ELECTED TO LAND DOWNWIND ON A ROAD. HOWEVER, OVERFLEW THE ROAD & LANDED IN A ROCKY WASH AREA, EXTENSIVELY DAMAGING THE ACFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.