History of Flight
On December 26, 2011, at 1406 eastern standard time, an Aero Commander 560-F, N560WM, collided with the ground while attempting to return to Venice Municipal Airport (VNC), Venice, Florida. The airplane was registered to a private owner and operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage and a post-crash fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot was killed. The flight departed from VNC at 1352 and was en route to Barwick Lafayette Airport (9A5), Lafayette, Georgia.
Review of audio communication between Tampa Approach and N560WM revealed that the pilot received an IFR clearance on the ground at VNC. While climbing to an assigned altitude of 6,000 feet mean sea level, the pilot reported a loss of engine power on the left engine. Tampa Approach provided radar vectors and a descent back to VNC. The pilot reported the airport in sight at 12 o’clock and 4 miles. The controller cleared the pilot for a visual approach, and no further radio communications were received from the pilot.
A witness stated that he observed the airplane in the vicinity of runway 22. The airplane pitched straight up, stalled, and spun to the left three times before colliding with the ground. About 1 minute 30 seconds after impact, the airplane was engulfed in flames.
Review of radar data showed that N560WM was about 275 yards from the runway 22 threshold at 200 feet at 1405:17. The airplane descended to 100 feet at 14:05:31, left of runway 22. The last recorded radar return was at 14:05:36, with the airplane at 200 feet.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, issued on August 3, 2006. He held a third-class medical certificate issued on December 13, 2011, with the restriction, "Must have eye glasses." The pilot indicated on the application that he had 6,000 total flight hours and 50 hours in the last 6 months. An insurance renewal application dated March 18, 2008, indicated he had 700 hours in the same make and model. According to the pilot’s wife, the pilot’s logbook was in the airplane and not recovered. The pilot’s last flight review and instrument proficiency check was conducted on April 12, 2011.
Aircraft Information
The Aero Commander 560-F is a seven-place, high-wing, all-metal, twin-engine, retractable landing gear airplane, serial number 560F-1305-58, manufactured in 1964. It was powered by two Lycoming geared IGO-540-B1A, 350-horsepower engines. The last annual inspection was conducted on April 6, 2011, at a recorded HOBBS time of 2104.0 hours. Total airframe time at the annual inspection was 5825.8 hours. The left engine had 1029.9 hours since major overhaul; the right engine was replaced on December 6, 2010. The HOBBS meter was not located at the accident site.
According to the FAA Inspector, the pilot's wife could not locate the airplane logbooks; the last entry she found was dated 2005. The airplane was last refueled on December 26, 2011, with 16.90 gallons of 100 low lead fuel. A representative from Sarasota Avionics stated that the pilot brought N560WM for installation of an Aspen EFD 1000 and Garmin GTX 330 in September 2011. The pilot could not produce logbooks or a current weight and balance. In October 2011, the pilot picked up the airplane; after connecting a power cart to start the right engine, the airplane turned left and collided with a parked Mooney. The representative noted that the hydraulic pumps were turned off, and the pilot stated, "That didn't matter he should still have brakes."
Insurance records confirmed a ground accident on October 7, 2011, at Sarasota Avionics. The radar dome was destroyed beyond repair, and there was a dent from under the pilot side window aft. The insurance adjuster informed the pilot that the airplane could not be flown without a serviceable radar dome and a ferry permit. The pilot presented logbook copies. According to the FAA, the airplane was not properly repaired, the standard airworthiness certificate was invalid, and the pilot would have needed a special flight permit. No record of a ferry permit application was found.
The insurance adjuster interviewed the mechanic who performed the annual inspection. The mechanic stated that after the taxi accident, the pilot could not start the left engine. The pilot said he and another person planned to swap the right fuel pump to the left engine and run a hose from the right boost pump to the right engine servo to operate the left engine.
Meteorological Information
The VNC 1915 surface weather observation reported winds 230 at 4 knots, visibility 8 miles, light rain, few clouds at 3,800 feet, broken at 4,800 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet, temperature 23°C, dew point 20°C, altimeter 3012.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage was located on VNC airport grounds, about .15 miles south-southwest of closed runway 27 markings, in an open field. The airplane collided with the ground in a left wing low vertical flat descent, with a debris line 12 feet long.
Post-accident examination revealed the nose section displaced right, the radar dome fractured and taped with duct tape. The forward windscreen and cabin windows were destroyed. The nose landing gear was extended and displaced rearward. The cabin from the instrument panel aft to the vertical stabilizer intersection was consumed by fire. The instrument panel was fragmented. The left throttle was at idle, the right throttle at mid-range. The left propeller lever was in the feathered position; the right propeller lever was full forward. The left mixture lever was destroyed; the right mixture lever was full rich. The fuel selector valve was not located. The left cockpit seat remained attached; the right forward seat separated; rear seats remained attached; seat belts were destroyed. The main cabin door was consumed by fire. The baggage compartment door separated, with the lock in locked position. The fuselage bottom was compressed upward with accordion crushing to the left. Flight control continuity was confirmed.
The right wing spar upper cap separated from the wing root; the right wing was displaced forward and fire damaged. The leading edge was crushed inward. The right engine oil reservoir was consumed. All inner wing bladder fuel tanks were ruptured. The right engine assembly separated from the mounts and was fire damaged. The reduction gearbox separated; the propeller assembly remained attached. One propeller blade was bent aft 30° at one-fourth radius, another bent forward 90°, the remaining bent aft 70°, no twisting or rotation on any blade. The propeller governor pilot spool separated. Outboard fuel bladder tanks were ruptured. Ailerons remained attached; flaps were destroyed. The right main landing gear was extended and separated.
The tail cone separated at the intersection of the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer. The vertical fin sustained fire damage. The rudder remained attached. Left and right horizontal stabilizers were fire damaged and attached. Elevator balance weights were intact. Trim positions could not be determined due to damage.
The left wing spar upper cap was destroyed by fire; the wing was displaced rearward. The leading edge was consumed by fire. Left engine oil reservoir was consumed. All inner wing bladder fuel tanks were ruptured. The left engine assembly separated and was fire damaged. The propeller assembly remained attached to the crankshaft flange; the propeller governor remained attached. The propeller blades remained attached; one blade bent aft at root, another bent at mid-span, the remaining undamaged; all blades in feathered position. Left outboard fuel bladder tanks ruptured. Left aileron and balance weight intact; left flap destroyed. Left main landing gear extended and separated.
The left engine sustained fire damage. Cylinders and push rods were not damaged. Induction tubes damaged. Oil sump intact. Oil suction screen contained metal contaminants; oil filter contained metal contaminants. Oil sump contained metal contaminants. Left magneto could not spark due to fire damage; right magneto sparked when turned. Vacuum pump intact. Fuel lines burned off. Engine-driven fuel pump disassembled with no anomalies; flow divider unobstructed except No. 2 and No. 4 fuel outlets plugged; fuel injector nozzles partially plugged. Throttle body not located. Spark plugs displayed normal wear. Engine disassembly revealed No. 2 connecting rod and cap, piston, and bearing halves were forwarded for analysis; No. 2 bearing destroyed. Metallurgical examination indicated bearing failure most likely due to progressive delamination. No. 2 journal was worn; crankshaft not damaged; camshaft intact.
The right engine sustained fire damage; both case halves cracked. Cylinders and push rods not damaged. Oil sump intact; oil suction screen and filter unobstructed; no metal contaminants. Magneto could not spark due to fire damage. Vacuum pump intact. Fuel lines burned off; engine-driven fuel pump not located; flow divider unobstructed; fuel nozzles partially obstructed. Throttle body not located. Spark plugs displayed normal wear. Engine disassembly showed no cylinder bore scoring; pistons not scored; connecting rods and bearings intact; crankshaft could not be turned due to broken case halves; camshaft and main bearings intact.
Medical and Pathological Information
The District 12 Sarasota, Florida Medical Examiner conducted a postmortem examination on December 27, 2011, determining the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries of head, torso, and extremities. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing; testing for carbon monoxide and cyanide was not performed. No ethanol was detected in brain or muscle. Results were negative for basic, acidic, and neutral drugs.
Additional Information
Review of the FAA Flight Manual for the Aero Commander Model 560 F states in the operating limitations: "The minimum speed at which the airplane is controllable in flight, with a sudden failure of one engine and take off power on the other engine is 90 calibrated miles per hour or 78 knots." It also notes: "NOTE, A minimum of 300 feet of altitude is required to recover from power off stalls with 7500 pound at both forward and aft center of gravity." The stall speed with landing gear and flap up and 0° angle of bank is 83 miles per hour (72 knots). The stall speed with landing gear extended and flaps down is 73 miles per hour (63 knots).