Aero Commander CALLAIR A 9B N7292V

Summary

On 2 June 2014 at about 15:30 local time, a Aero Commander CALLAIR A 9B registered N7292V was involved in an accident near Gardiner, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 June 2014 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gardiner, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Gardiner (29S)

Coordinates

45.0497, -110.7467

Aircraft

Aero Commander CALLAIR A 9B

Registration

N7292V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gardiner → Gardiner

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA220

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and his subsequent takeoff with the airplane over its allowable gross weight in highdensity altitude conditions, which degraded the airplane’s climb performance and led to a subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an agricultural application flight. The pilot reported that, during departure, the airplane was unable to maintain a positive climb rate, so he decided to conduct a forced landing on a grass field. During the landing roll, the airplane's wing struck terrain, and the airplane subsequently came to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident weight and balance calculations determined that, at the time of the accident, the airplane exceeded its maximum gross weight limitation. Further, the density altitude was calculated to be 5,661 ft mean sea level. It is likely that the combined effects of the airplane being over its gross weight and the high-density altitude degraded the airplane's climb performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.