- Date
- February 19, 1988, 09:58 local (16:58 UTC)
- Place
- El Paso, TX
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N634SAAero Commander 680
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 22540
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Landing gear - undeterminedFactor
Loss of control - in flight
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Planning/decision - poorCause
Airspeed - not maintainedCause
Stall - inadvertentCause
Lack of total instrument timeFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - roadway/highway
Analysis
The non-instrument rated, non multiengine rated pilot, whose medical had expired, lost control of the aircraft during an IFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft crashed and burned. The pilot was attempting to return and land after he reported a landing gear problem. It could not be determined what landing gear malfunction existed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N634SA
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 680
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 680509179
- Engine
- Lycoming GSO-480-B1A6, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Donald Mccoy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ELP
- Destination
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ELP · El Paso Intl
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,012 total · 95 in this make and model · 2,839 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ELP, 1 nm away