Aero Commander 200D N200AW

Summary

On 2 January 1995 at about 01:10 local time, a Aero Commander 200D registered N200AW was involved in an accident near Lancaster, California, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 January 1995 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Lancaster, California, United States

Coordinates

34.7190, -118.4798

Aircraft

Aero Commander 200D

Registration

N200AW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Apple Valley → Rosamond

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA070

1 person died.

fuel starvation due to the pilot's failure to select a tank containing fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD WHEN A CAR GOT IN THE WAY. THE PILOT THEN SET UP TO LAND IN A DESERT AREA ADJACENT TO THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. A FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS POSITIONED TO A FUEL TANK THAT WAS EMPTY. THE OTHER THREE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. THE FUEL PUMP FUNCTIONED NORMALLY WHEN ACTIVATED WITH AIRCRAFT BATTERY POWER, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO A TANK CONTAINING FUEL. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE FUEL PUMP. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND INSTALLED IN A TEST CELL. THE ENGINE STARTED WITHOUT HESITATION AND WAS EXERCISED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL POWER RANGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.