# Accident 20230521008669A: Commander Aircraft Co 114TC, Palm City, FL, May 21, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 21, 2023, 15:30 local time - Place: Palm City, FL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 27.1528° N, 80.3367° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.1528&lon=-80.3367&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6042E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6042E) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Commander 114TC (registry code 0145002, https://openairdocs.org/model/commander-114tc) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: COMMANDER AIRCRAFT CO 114TC - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,268 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA239) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230521008669A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. PART 91 OPERATION 2000 COMMANDER AIRCRAFT 114TC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SERIAL NUMBER 20030, WITH LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CRASHED 2200 FEET NORTH END OF NAKED LADY RANCH AIRPORT (X64AF) RUNWAY 180°. AIRCRAFT CRASHED ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD CATCHING ON FIRE RESULTING FATALITY OF ONE PILOT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGED DESTROYED DUE TO WING FUEL TANKS RUPTURED RESULTING IN FIRE. AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE OVER THE TREES. THE WITNESS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL AS THEY WATCHED. HOWEVER, AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED CLOSER, THE ENGINE EMITTED A STRANGE NOISE AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED WHAT THE WITNESS DESCRIBED AS A STALL AND CRASHED INTO THE GROUND BEFORE SLIDING INTO A SMALL DITCH. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT CATCHING FIRE, WITH THE COCKPIT BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES. DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF BYSTANDERS, THE PILOT COULD NOT BE EXTRICATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2,300 FEET NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 36 AT NAKED LADY RANCH AIRPORT. ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE FOUND AT THE CRASH SITE. THE COCKPIT AND FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE DUE TO THE FIRE, WHILE THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES REMAINED EXPOSED BUT INTACT, CONNECTED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES AND BELLCRANKS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM. THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE AND IMPACT, WHILE THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS REMAINED INTACT. THE RUDDER AND ELEVATORS EXHIBITED SIGNS OF SOOT FROM THE GROUND FIRE. NO DISTRESS TRANSMISSIONS WERE REPORTED FROM THE PILOT DURING THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE FLIGHT. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION AND WAS TESTED USING FORCED AIR. ALL FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONS WERE CHECKED, AND THE DETENT ON THE SELECTOR OPERATED PROPERLY. THE ENGINE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNTS BUT DISPLAYED EVIDENCE OF FIRE DAMAGE. IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A THREE-BLADED PROPELLER, WITH THE BLADES LABELED A, B, AND C. BLADE A APPEARED UNDAMAGED, WHILE BLADE B EXHIBITED CHORD WISE SCORING AND A BENT TIP. BLADE C WAS BENT AFT BENEATH THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED CONTINUOUS VALVE TRAIN CONTINUITY THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE, INCLUDING THE ACCESSORY COMPONENTS. COMPRESSION WAS OBSERVED IN ALL CYLINDERS. AN INDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF OIL LEAKAGE WAS NOTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE OIL WAS FOUND TO BE CLEAN, AND NO DEBRIS WAS OBSERVED IN THE OIL. THE SPARK PLUGS APPEARED NORMAL AND DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION. THE MAGNETOS WERE REMOVED AND ROTATED, REVEALING SPARK ARCING ON ALL TERMINALS. THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL SCREEN WAS FOUND TO BE FREE OF DEBRIS. BOTH VACUUM PUMPS WERE REMOVED AND DISPLAYED DAMAGE FROM IMPACT AND HEAT. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED AND TESTED, DEMONSTRATING CONTINUOUS FUEL PUMPING AS THE INPUT SHAFT WAS ROTATED. THE FUEL DIVIDER WAS REMOVED AND EXAMINED, REVEALING NO HEAT DAMAGE WHEN THE DIAPHRAGM WAS INSPECTED. THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE INSPECTED AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF CLOGGING. A TRACE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND WITHIN THE FUEL DIVIDER. ## 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 ERA23FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA239), May 21, 2023: Commander 114TC (N6042E), Palm City, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot’s subsequent loss of control, which resulted in impact with terrain. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.