Aero Commander 100 N3661X

Summary

On 4 May 1994 at about 19:28 local time, a Aero Commander 100 registered N3661X, operated by Edwin F. Cooper, was involved in an accident near Ocotillo Wells, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 1994 at 19:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocotillo Wells, California, United States

Nearest airport

Ocotillo (L90)

Coordinates

32.7201, -115.8790

Aircraft

Aero Commander 100

Registration

N3661X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Edwin F. Cooper

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94FA211

1 person died.

the failure of the pilot to maintain flying speed after experiencing a partial power failure while maneuvering. A factor in the accident was the failure of the pilot to drain accumulated water from the aircraft fuel system during the preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was known to be susceptible to accumulated water in its tanks and the pilot had experienced previous engine stoppage during takeoff as a result of water in the fuel. The flight before the accident terminated in a precautionary landing at Ocotillo after experiencing a rough running engine. The pilot removed the carburetor, had it serviced, and then reinstalled it himself. After reinstallation, the pilot performed a ground run-up and the aircraft reportedly ran normally. On the day of the accident, the pilot performed a normal preflight. He drained 1 gallon of fuel from the aircraft's gascolator, since there are no quick-drain sumps on either main fuel tank. Immediately on takeoff, the aircraft's engine began to sputter and lose power. The pilot told a ground observer by radio that he wanted to try to gain some altitude and see if the problem would clear up. While in a turn near the ground, the aircraft stalled and crashed next to the runway. Water was found in the carburetor bowl.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.