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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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September 26, 1982 · Aero Commander 520 · N2622B

Agoura, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 26, 1982
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Agoura, CA
Aircraft
Aero Commander 520
Tail Number
N2622B
Operator
Donald Nelson
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX82FA357

During departure, the pilot climbed in IFR conditions to 6000 ft. After leveling, a frequency change was made and he was cleared to 8000 ft, which he acknowledged. About 2 min later, the controller radioed to the pilot that he was about 4 mi north of the airway, but there was no reply from the pilot. Shortly after that, radar contact was lost and the plane crashed in mountainous terrain. Several residents in the area reported hearing extremely loud engine noises followed by complete silence. An investigation revealed that both wings had separated outboard of their respective engine nacelle assemblies. An examination of the fractures revealed the wings had separated from positive overload. The leading edges of both wings had ballooned upward, indicative of extreme airspeed. The empennage had separated in a yaw and from right torsional overload. Parts of the aircraft were found within a 1 mi arc, north of the main impact area. The pilot's recent instrument experience could not be verified. Turbulence was forecast below 8000 ft.

Full Narrative

DURING DEPARTURE, THE PILOT CLIMBED IN IFR CONDITIONS TO 600O FT. AFTER LEVELING, A FREQUENCY CHANGE WAS MADE AND HE WAS CLEARED TO 8000 FT, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER, THE CONTROLLER RADIOED TO THE PILOT THAT HE WAS ABOUT 4 MI NORTH OF THE AIRWAY, BUT THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM THE PILOT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND THE PLANE CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SEVERAL RESIDENTS IN THE AREA REPORTED HEARING EXTREMELY LOUD ENGINE NOISES FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE SILENCE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH WINGS HAD SEPARATED OUTBOARD OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENGINE NACELLE ASSEMBLIES. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURES REVEALED THE WINGS HAD SEPARATED FROM POSITIVE OVERLOAD. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS HAD BALLOONED UPWARD, INDICATIVE OF EXTREME AIRSPEED. THE EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED IN A YAW AND FROM RIGHT TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE FOUND WITHIN A 1 MI ARC, NORTH OF THE MAIN IMPACT AREA. THE PILOT'S RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. TURBC WAS FCSTD BLO 8000 FT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:08 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAero Commander 520
Tail NumberN2622B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorDonald Nelson
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · GO-435-C2B2 · Reciprocating · 260
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 52 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind250° @ 15 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingOvercast 900 ft
Temperature / Dew Point15 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time12:50

Appendix: Source Data