Aero Commander 690A N55JS

Summary

On 15 October 2006 at about 18:03 local time, a Aero Commander 690A registered N55JS was involved in an accident near Antlers, Oklahoma, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 2006 at 18:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Antlers, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

34.1808, -95.7072

Aircraft

Aero Commander 690A

Registration

N55JS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oklahoma City → Orlando

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07FA004

4 people died.

The pilot's failure to reduce airspeed while operating in an area of moderate turbulence, resulting in an in-flight break up. Contributing factors were the pilot's decision to exceed the maximum takeoff weight, and the prevailing turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Approximately 37 minutes after departing on a 928-nautical mile cross-country flight under instrument flight rules, the twin-engine turboprop airplane experienced an in-flight break-up after encountering moderate turbulence while in cruise flight at the assigned altitude of FL230. In the moments preceding the break-up, the airplane had been flying approximately 15 to 20 knots above the placarded maximum airspeed for operations in moderate turbulence. The airplane was found to be approximately 1,038 pounds over the maximum takeoff weight listed in the airplane's type certificate data sheet (TCDS). The last radar returns indicated that the airplane performed a 180-degree left turn while descending at a rate of approximately 13,500 feet per minute. There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident. The wreckage was located the next day in densely wooded terrain. The wreckage was scattered over an area approximately three miles long by one mile wide. An examination of the airframe revealed that the airplane's design limits had been exceeded, and that the examined fractures were due to overload failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.