Aero Commander 500U N441WW
12 February 2002 · Copperhill, Tennessee, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 February 2002 at about 20:30 local time, a Aero Commander 500U registered N441WW, operated by Gary Lynn Gadberry, was involved in an accident near Copperhill, Tennessee, 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 20:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Copperhill, Tennessee, United States
- Nearest airport
- Barwick Lafayette (9A5)
- Coordinates
- 35.0217, -84.4683
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500U
- Registration
- N441WW
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Gary Lynn Gadberry
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Andrews → Lafayette
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL02LA046
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent collision with trees during emergency landing on unsuitable terrain
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A witness heard the airplane's engines make "sputtering" engine noises that cut out and quit prior to its impact with the wooded terrain. A sheriff's deputy who responded to the scene heard the pilot state the airplane ran out of fuel. The propeller blades of both engines displayed minor damage, and both propeller spinners were found intact and in place. No evidence of fuel odor nor fuel leakage was observed at the accident site. During examination, both engines were supplied fuel and a source of electricity. Each engine operated smoothly during testing at rpm ranging from idle to 1900.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aero Commander 500 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 May 2002 | Aero Commander 500-S | La Porte, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 31 May 2002 | Aero Commander 500-B | Roseau, Dominica | Bevins Air Services Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Nov 2002 | Aero Commander 500-B | Rayville, Louisiana, United States | James C. Rogers | Fatal | 3 |
| 20 Mar 2003 | Aero Commander 500-B | Mankato, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Nov 2001 | Aero Commander 500S | Eagleville, California, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 28 Jan 2001 | Aero Commander 500 | Tamboril, Dominican Republic | - | Fatal | 7 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Aug 2002 | Cessna 182R | Lake City, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 28 Jun 2002 | Beechcraft 58 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Sep 2002 | Cessna 152 | Spring City, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2002 | Beechcraft BE-55 | Jacksboro, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Cessna 182Q | Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 May 2002 | Cessna 172 | Livingston, Tennessee, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |