Aero Commander 500-B N743W

Summary

On 31 March 1984 at about 09:03 local time, a Aero Commander 500-B registered N743W was involved in an accident near Miles City, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 March 1984 at 09:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Miles City, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Frank Wiley (MLS)

Coordinates

46.2202, -105.5997

Aircraft

Aero Commander 500-B

Registration

N743W

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Billings → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN84FA121

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT SAID THAT WHEN HE CALLED ON THE RADIO PRIOR TO THE APPROACH FOR AN ALTIMETER SETTING THE REPLY WAS '30.11 OR 30.12, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.' THE ACFT ALTIMETER WAS FOUND AFTER THE ACCIDENT SET AT 30.22 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE VISIBILITY WAS DESCRIBED AS 1 AND 1/2 MILES IN SNOW SHOWERS. HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH 'BECAUSE MINIMUMS ARE ONE MILE.' HE DESCENDED OUTBOUND TO 4500 FT. MINIMUM PROCEDURE TURN ALT IS 4700 FT MSL. THE PLT THEN DESCENDED TO 3700 FT MSL AS HEAPPROACHED THE VOR. POWER WAS REDUCED TO 17-18 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND AIRSPEED REDUCED TO 120 KTS. AS THE VOR WAS CROSSED HE GLANCED AT THE ALTIMETER AND 'THE HANDS WERE IN THE TWO O'CLOCK POSITION.' LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND APPROACH FLAPS SET. THE PLT SAID ALL SEEMED NORMAL. HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW 'WISPY CLOUDS GOING BY RAPIDLY. THEN THERE WERE THE SOUNDS OF IMPACT.' THE NEXT THING REMEMBERED WAS THE SOUND OF DRIPPING GASOLINE. THE PLT SAID HE CRAWLED OUT OF THE COCKPIT WINDOW AND WANDERED 'FOR A COUPLE HOURS TRYING TO CHASE DOWN THE SEARCH LIGHTS.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.