Aero Commander 100 N3896X
16 March 2000 · Buckeye, Arizona, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 16 March 2000 at about 01:30 local time, a Aero Commander 100 registered N3896X was involved in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Buckeye, Arizona, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.3795, -112.5508
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100
- Registration
- N3896X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX00LA128
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's improper judgment and his failure to maintain clearance from the ground. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A witness observed the airplane, while in cruise flight, as the right wing dipped to a near vertical position followed by the airplane diving into the ground. The witness went to the accident site where he found the pilot kneeling beside the wreckage. According to the witness, the pilot stated he was not trying to land at a nearby airport, but was 'screwing around.' The local sheriff's office report of the accident indicated that the pilot reported flying at 200 feet above the ground when he reduced power to observe the airplane's glide capability at that height. According to the sheriff's report, the pilot further stated that a wind gust resulted in the left wing dropping. When the pilot corrected for the gust, he overcompensated, lost control, and the airplane flew into the ground. The pilot has a student pilot certificate with no solo endorsement for the Commander 100. His last solo endorsement was for a Cessna 152 dated March 10, 1987. The last flight entry in his pilot logbook was dated July 10, 1999, and indicated a flight in the accident airplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aero Commander 100 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 2000 | Aero Commander 100 | Chatom, Alabama, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Nov 2001 | Aero Commander 100 | Hillman, Minnesota, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1998 | Aero Commander 100 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 2002 | Aero Commander 100 | Quincy, Washington, United States | David B. Hanna | Minor injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 2003 | Aero Commander 100 | North Pole, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 2003 | Aero Commander 100 | Fulton, Kentucky, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jul 2000 | Cessna 172 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Sunbird Flight Services | No injuries | - |
| 5 Nov 2000 | Piper PA28-200 | Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, United States | Air West Flying Club | Fatal | 2 |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Hughes OH-6A | Green Valley, Arizona, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 2000 | Cessna 205 | Tacna, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jun 2000 | Cessna 414A | Prescott Valley, Arizona, United States | Patrick W. Swayze | No injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 2000 | Cessna 210E | Holbrook, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |