ATL89FA054

NTSB accident investigation · Aero Commander 720 · Alcoa, TN · December 9, 1988

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
December 9, 1988, 06:00 local (11:00 UTC)
Place
Alcoa, TN
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N120GAero Commander 720
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report March 26, 1990
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19881209053319A
Case key
7867

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalApproach - iaf to faf/outer marker (ifr)
Weather condition - icing conditionsFactor
Weather evaluation - poorPilot in commandFactor
1 engine
Induction air control/system - iceCause
In-flight planning/decision - poorPilot in commandCause
Impairment(drugs)Pilot in commandFactor
Loss of control - in flightMissed approach (ifr)
Emergency procedure - improperPilot in commandCause
Gear retraction - not performedPilot in commandFactor
Raising of flaps - not performedPilot in commandFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

After encountering icing conditions in flight and experiencing problems maintaining altitudes and headings, the pilot elected to divert from his planned destination of dayton, oh to knoxville, TN. While on final approach after descending 1300 ft below minimum procedure turn altitude followed by being told the aircraft was well above the glideslope, ATC instructed the pilot to maintain 3000 ft. shortly thereafter, ATC reported the mode c indicated 1900. The pilot responded with 'engine quit'. The aircraft crashed in a pasture about 1 mile from the airport. The investigation revealed that the aircraft was not equipped to operate in icing conditions. The evidence indicated that the flaps and landing gear were extended. Approximately 40 lbs of cocaine were found onboard the aircraft. The tox report for the pilot disclosed .05 mg/l benzoylecgonite (cocaine metabolite) in his blood. The pilot had received a weather briefing which included a freezing level at 7000 ft and filed a flight plan requesting a cruising altitude of 14000 ft.

Aircraft

Registration
N120G
Reported as
Aero Commander 720
Category
Airplane
Serial number
720-630-3
Engine
Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Commuter Craft Inc.
Registered owner
Commuter Craft Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
FLL · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Destination
TYS · Alcoa, TN
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
TYS · Mcghee Tyson, runway 5L, 8,006 × 150 ft, concrete

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
47
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
4,103 total

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Wind
30° at 3 knots
Visibility
1 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
400 ft overcast
Temperature
34 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
TYS, 1 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.