Aero Commander 500 N7846C

Summary

On 8 October 2001 at about 05:00 local time, a Aero Commander 500 registered N7846C was involved in an accident near Petaluma, California, United States. 3 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

8 October 2001 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Petaluma, California, United States

Coordinates

38.2100, -122.7592

Aircraft

Aero Commander 500

Registration

N7846C

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petaluma → Concord

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX02LA001

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent (dark, nighttime) VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent loss of altitude control. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight weather evaluation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument rated pilot reported that he received a weather briefing and that visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed at his destination, 31 miles to the southeast. It was a dark, moonless, night but stars were visible in the sky at the departure airport with haze to the west. Lights were visible 10 miles to the south. The pilot departed on runway 29 and made a right, downwind departure. During the departure turn, he encountered instrument meteorological conditions at about 900 feet. He reported that while in the clouds he had difficulty leveling the wings and there was "some altitude fluctuation." During this time there was a "pop" sound and the aircraft became difficult to control. He broke out on top of the clouds at 2,700 feet and proceeded to landing at his original destination. Control of the aircraft required him to input full right rudder control, 90 percent of available right aileron control, and to reduce power on the right engine. Inspection of the left wing revealed damage to the outboard 5 feet of the wing leading edge and embedded tree debris.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.