- Date
- September 9, 1985, 19:35 local (23:35 UTC)
- Place
- Oak Hill, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3684XAero Commander 100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850909075389A
- Case key
- 31262
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
The plt was making his first flt in his recently purchased acft. The plt stated that both fuel tanks were full prior to take-off. Approximately 20 mins after take-off, an attempt was made to switch from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. Seconds later, the eng lost power & all attempts to restart the eng failed. An emerg descent was established & theacft crashed into a wooded area. The acft was destroyed & the plt & his pax sustained minor injuries. The acft had not been flown in the past 2 years. The plt stated that aprx onemonth prior to the accident, he had drained aprx one pint ofwater from the single drain point in the fuel syst. On the day of the accident, he stated that he had drained the fuel sump during the preflt inspection & did not observe any water. Although both fuel tanks ruptered on impact. An exam of the left tank revealed the presence of water in the bottom of the fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3684X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 326
- Airframe hours
- 1,832
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- John D. Clark, III
- Registered owner
- Modern Home Log Supply, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 28, 1985 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- X21 · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- 34J · New Smyrna Bch, FL
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 924 total · 857 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAB, 22 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.