Aero Commander 112 N1152J

Summary

On 24 December 1995 at about 01:05 local time, a Aero Commander 112 registered N1152J was involved in an accident near Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 December 1995 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

32.4007, -104.2306

Aircraft

Aero Commander 112

Registration

N1152J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Marcos → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

FTW96FA075

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors were the pilot's lack of total actual instrument weather time and the clouds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instrument rated private pilot was on an IFR flight from San Marcos, Texas, to Carlsbad, New Mexico. During an ILS RWY 3 approach to the Cavern City Air Terminal at Carlsbad, the pilot executed a missed approach. The pilot reported to ATC that his glide slope failed. While maneuvering in the clouds to reattempt an approach at Carlsbad, the pilot lost control of the airplane and impacted the terrain. A pilot reported the weather at Carlsbad was VFR below 1,100 feet with the tops of the clouds from 7200 to 7500 feet. The pilot was instructed to maintain 7,000 feet. The pilot made three 'mayday' calls prior to stating that, 'five two Juliet totally disoriented.' According to the pilot's log books he had accumulated 44 hours of instrument flight time of which 38.4 hours were logged as actual instrument weather time since July 20, 1993. The pilot's instrument flight instructor reported that whenever the pilot filed an IFR flight plan, he would log the flight as actual instrument weather time. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any pre-mishap discrepancies. Due to the extent of damage, flight control continuity could not be established.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.