- Date
- March 13, 1998, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fond Du Lac, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N777MXAero Commander 680FLP
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980313042069A
- Case key
- 10838
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's misjudged weather evaluation . Factors were turbulence, the pilot's inability to attain a proper climb rate, unsuitable terrain encountered in the landing area, and crops.
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
The airplane took off on runway 18 with winds reported to be 190 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 21 knots. The pilot said that during initial climb to 200 feet AGL, he encountered turbulence and was unable to maintain flight. He made a precautionary landing in a cornfield about one-quarter mile off the end of the runway.
Factual narrative
On March 13, 1998, at 1315 central standard time, an Aero Commander 680FLP, N777MX, registered to AFK Corporation, of Ripon, Wisconsin, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing one-quarter mile south of the Fond Du Lac County Airport, near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. The airplane initiated a takeoff from runway 18 (5,940' x 100' dry snow/asphalt), in instrument meteorological conditions with the intended destination of Washington, DC. The instrument rated commercial pilot said the airplane encountered turbulence and did not accelerate as expected. He elected to make the precautionary landing in a corn field. The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. One passenger received minor injuries. The corporate CFR 14 Part 91 flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated in his written statement, "Experienced very rough and turbulent air during the climb to approximately 200 feet AGL, airspeed was very erratic jumping around from 115 to 100 miles per hour, then experienced extreme side shear from the right." He indicated that with full power, continued flight was not possible. He extended the landing gear and executed a landing in a cornfield one-quarter mile off the departure end of runway 18.
A weather observation at the airport taken 23 minutes after the accident indicated a wind of 190 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 21 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N777MX
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 680FLP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1507-20
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-720, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Afk Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FLD
- Destination
- DCA · Washington, DC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FLD · Fond Du Lac County, runway 18, 5,940 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,540 total · 120 in this make and model · 1,370 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 0.75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 25 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FLD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.