- Date
- June 17, 1985, 20:40 local (Jun 18, 1985, 03:40 UTC)
- Place
- Pasco, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1795SAero Commander 600S-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850617054509A
- Case key
- 40256
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
This aero commander 600S-20 departed on an aerial application flight. Shortly after takeoff the pilot noticed flames coming from the engine compartment, experienced a power loss and made a forced landing in sand dunes, substantially damaging the aircraft. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that the main starter relay had not released and was the source of the fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1795S
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 600S-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 600-13950
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Frank Curtis Cherry Jr., doing business as Eastern Wash. Spraying Svc.
- Registered owner
- Maxson Willis H,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 7, 1985 · 20 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 8,878 total · 1,947 in this make and model · 8,354 as pilot in command · 148 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.