Aero Commander S2R N8912Q

Summary

On 10 July 2003 at about 13:00 local time, a Aero Commander S2R registered N8912Q, operated by Macy's Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Tulelake, California, United States. One person was on board and one 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

10 July 2003 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tulelake, California, United States

Nearest airport

Tulelake Municipal (O81)

Coordinates

41.8872, -121.3594

Aircraft

Aero Commander S2R

Registration

N8912Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Macy's Flying Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tulelake → Newell

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA230

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to remove the gust lock, which resulted in his loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot lost control of the airplane during the ground roll portion of takeoff. The airplane veered off the runway and decelerated in an adjacent soft field. The agricultural flight was originating at the time of the pilot's 0600 departure. The pilot acknowledged that had he performed a better preflight inspection, he would not have left the gust lock on the right aileron. During the takeoff roll, the airplane's wingtip contacted the runway. Thereafter, the airplane slid across the ground and came to a stop in an adjacent field.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.