Aero Commander 100-180 N4066X

Summary

On 11 August 1995 at about 20:10 local time, a Aero Commander 100-180 registered N4066X, operated by Pelican Airways, was involved in an accident near Ocracoke, North Carolina, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 1995 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocracoke, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Billy Mitchel (8W5)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aero Commander 100-180

Registration

N4066X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pelican Airways

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95LA152

1 person was seriously injured.

A SHATTERED WINDSHIELD WHICH PRECLUDED MAINTAINING LEVEL FLIGHT DUE TO INCREASED AERODYNAMIC DRAG.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight over marshy terrain, the center portion of the aircraft's windshield imploded, forcing open the cabin door. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and could not glide to dry land, therefore he elected to force land in the salt marsh. During the Landing roll, the aircraft nosed over. According to the passengers, when they boarded the airplane they noted that the windscreen was cracked. However, the crack was adjacent to a door post, not the center of the windscreen. Initially, the pilot believed that the airplane had been struck by a bird. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of a bird strike. A similar windscreen implosion occurrence, involving the same make and model airplane, was located in the FAA's Service Difficulty Reports. The report stated that during level flight the upper half of the windshield broke away, first inward, then the pilot pushed it outward. Aircraft control was affected, and a forced landing was accomplished, without causing substantial damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.