# Accident 20091023025919A: Commander A 114-B, Adrian, MI, October 23, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 23, 2009, 16:30 local time
- Place: Adrian, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9361° N, 83.9994° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9361&lon=-83.9994&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6025U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6025U-2011-03-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Commander 114-B (registry code 0145001, https://openairdocs.org/model/commander-114-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COMMANDER A 114-B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN10FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091023025919A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

A COMMANDER MODEL 114-B, N6025U, PILOTED BY AN INSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT, ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS DESTROYED DURING A POST-IMPACT FIRE FOLLOWING AN APPARENT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO LENAWEE COUNTY AIRPORT (KADG), ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KAVP), SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ABOUT 1323 AND WAS EN ROUTE TO KADG WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A STEEP ANGLE LIMITING THE DEBRIS FIELD TO ABOUT A 100 SQUARE FOOT AREA. THE LEFT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND LAYING ABOUT 100 FEET NORTH OF THE FUSELAGE AND MAIN DEBRIS FIELD. DETAILED AIRCRAFT INSPECTION REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS, FLIGHT CONTROLS OR POWER PLANT SYSTEMS. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING AN AIRPLANE OVERFLY HIS RESIDENCE AT A LOW ALTITUDE, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPLANE DUE TO HEAVY FOG IN THE AREA. HE NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD COME FROM THE NORTH AND WAS TRAVELING TO THE SOUTHEAST. HE THEN HEARD THE SAME AIRPLANE TURN NORTHBOUND FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE SEEING IT PASS OVER HIS RESIDENCE ABOUT 200-300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL TRAVELING TO THE SOUTHEAST. THE WITNESS NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A FIELD TO THE SOUTH OF HIS RESIDENCE.THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY WAS AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT (KADG), LOCATED ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRPORT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM (ASOS). AT 1612, THE KADG ASOS REPORTED THE FOLLOWING WEATHER CONDITIONS: WIND 180 DEGREES TRUE AT 17 KNOTS, GUSTING 23 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 6 MILES IN MIST; OVERCAST CEILING AT 700 FEET AGL; TEMPERATURE 14 DEGREES CELSIUS; DEW POINT 14 DEGREES CELSIUS; ALTIMETER SETTING 29.47 INCHES OF MERCURY. REMARKS: RAIN ENDED AT 1611; CEILING VARIABLE BETWEEN 500 AND 1,200 FEET AGL. AT 1653, THE KADG ASOS REPORTED THE FOLLOWING WEATHER CONDITIONS: WIND 190 DEGREES TRUE AT 14 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 MILES; OVERCAST CEILING AT 900 FEET AGL; TEMPERATURE 16 DEGREES CELSIUS; DEW POINT 14 DEGREES CELSIUS; ALTIMETER SETTING 29.46 INCHES OF MERCURY. REMARKS: RAIN ENDED AT 1611; CEILING VARIABLE BETWEEN 600 AND 1,200 FEET AGL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN10FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA027), Oct 23, 2009: Commander 114-B (N6025U), Adrian, MI, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation while on an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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