Aero Commander 690 N349AC

Summary

On 28 July 1998 at about 22:00 local time, a Aero Commander 690 registered N349AC, operated by BLM, U.s. Dept of Interior, was involved in an accident near Ely, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 July 1998 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ely, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Yelland Field (ELY)

Coordinates

39.4201, -115.0003

Aircraft

Aero Commander 690

Registration

N349AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

BLM, U.s. Dept of Interior

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98TA251

Nobody was injured.

The failure and separation of the left main gear wheel halves due to overload as a result of excessive air pressure. A contributing factor was the inadequate maintenance/service of the main gear tires.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot and observer's statements, they were taxing out for departure when the left main wheel came off its axle. As the strut grounded on the taxiway, the left rear wing spar was fractured and fuselage crown skin wrinkled. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the left wheel was separated into its two halves and the tire had come off the wheel. All ten nuts were stripped off the bolts that hold the wheel halves together. The air pressure in the right tire was measured with a gage that only goes to 125 psi; the pressure in the tire pegged the gage at that value. According to the aircraft's flight manual, the maximum main landing gear tire pressure should be 60 psi.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.