- Date
- September 9, 2003, 19:00 local (Sep 10, 2003, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Porter, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N233SAero Commander 680
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Houston FSDO
- Case key
- 57919
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing. A contributing factor was the gusty winds.
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 1,508-hour pilot lost control of the twin-engine airplane while landing on runway 17. The airplane went off to the side of the runway and hit a runway light. He reported that he "hit a gust of wind" while landing. The airplane rolled for about 400 feet before coming to a stop. An examination of the aircraft revealed that the nose wheel had collapsed into the wheel well, and the forward main bulkhead was bent and pushed out.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 2003, at 1900 central daylight time, an Aero Commander 680 twin-engine airplane, N233S, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while landing at Williams Airport (9X1), near Porter, Texas. The multi-engine instrument rated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 cross-country flight. The ferry flight departed Cleveland Municipal Airport (6R3), Cleveland, Texas, at 1850, and was destined for Williams Airport (9X1), Porter, Texas.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, the pilot was landing on runway 17 (3,594 feet long by 35 feet wide), and went off to the side of the runway and hit a runway light. The pilot reported that he "hit a gust of wind" while landing. The airplane rolled for about 400 feet before coming to a stop.
An examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector revealed that the nose wheel had collapsed into the wheel well, and the forward main bulkhead was bent and pushed out.
The 1,508-hour pilot held a flight instructor pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA first class medical certificate was issued on September 17, 1998.
Numerous attempts, albeit unsuccessful, were made by the investigator-in-charge to obtain a Pilot/Operator Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) from the certificated flight instructor pilot.
The weather 11 nautical miles from Williams Airport, at 1853, was reported as winds from 130 degrees at 9 knots, temperature 82 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure of 29.94 inches Hg. The visibility was 10 statute miles, with scattered clouds at 2,500 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N233S
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 680
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 680-443-114
- Engine
- Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John Fiala
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 6R3 · Cleveland, TX
- Destination
- 9X1 · Willams Airport, TX
- Airport
- 9X1 · Williams Airport, runway 17, 3,594 × 35 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,508 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg