- Date
- May 26, 1986, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eufaula, AL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4003XAero Commander 100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860526019529A
- Case key
- 7111
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a descent of 400-500 fpm at 120-125 mph the windshield blew into the aircraft. A portion of the windshield remained attached to the acft, folded up so as to jut above the cabin roof and acted as a spoiler. Level flight could not be maintained due to the increased drag and a forced landing was made in a plowed field. The passenger reported thatthere was a pre-existing crack in the windshield 8 to 10 inches in length from the right corner toward the center. The ends of the crack were stop drilled and bolts installed in the drilled holes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4003X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 212
- Airframe hours
- 482
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William Roberts
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1985 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- 02J · Cordele, GA
- Destination
- IR8 · Bay Minette, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DHN, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.