Pilot Debrief

AERO COMMANDER 100 near Weston, FL — 2009-11-08

Final reportERA10FA052
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Date
2009-11-08
Location
Weston, FL, USA
Aircraft
AERO COMMANDER 100
Registration
N4139X
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The flight's descent for undetermined reasons, resulting in the in-flight collision with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot departed at night for an intended flight over the Everglades, to a destination airport north of the departure airport. After takeoff, while flying in a northerly direction over an area with no ground reference lights other than from vehicles on an east/west highway, the airplane climbed to a maximum altitude of 2,800 feet, then began descending at a rate of 3,000 feet-per-minute and flew over the highway. The airplane then deviated slightly to the right at the end of the flight, and impacted into the Everglades. The pilot had only accumulated 2.8 hours of total night experience, all of which was flown in the same night, 8 months prior to the accident. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine, and engine accessories revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Total electrical failure was eliminated because transponder returns were noted from the beginning of the flight to within 0.3 nautical miles of the crash site. Additionally, light bulb filament stretching consistent with electrical power at impact was noted for the cockpit overhead light bulb. Although the pilot had a history of coronary artery disease and had a cardiac catheterization and stent placement 2 years prior to the accident, the autopsy did not reveal any evidence of the presence of an incapacitating medical event during the accident flight. Additionally, the investigation revealed no evidence of the pilot suffering from fatigue or sleep apnea.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight after receiving weather information.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • FDR / data
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 29 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents29

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