History of the Flight
On 23 December 2024, a Rockwell Commander 112 TCA (N4698W) was based at Fife Airport near Glenrothes and owned by the pilot. CCTV footage showed the pilot arriving at 1100 hrs and walking to the aircraft, which was parked at the south-western end of the apron. The pilot removed the aircraft's covers and moved around it, but the extent of his activity could not be determined due to recording limitations and the aircraft's position. A witness reported the engine was running on the apron for approximately 20 minutes before CCTV recorded taxiing at 1128 hrs.
A witness in another aircraft radioed the pilot, who stated his intention to leave the circuit for a brief local flight before returning. N4698W entered the runway, backtracked to the threshold of Runway 24, and stopped. The engine ran at high power for about 20 seconds before the takeoff run began at 1133:18 hrs.
CCTV captured N4698W climbing out to the south-west until 1134:20 hrs, when it appeared to abruptly depart from controlled flight, possibly entering an incipient spin. Simultaneously, CCTV in Kinglassie, one mile south-west, recorded engine misfiring sounds and images of the aircraft striking rising ground. A witness also reported hearing a brief MAYDAY call.
Airport responders arrived quickly, securing the aircraft by turning off ignition and fuel. Police arrived at 1155 hrs. The pilot was fatally injured during impact.
Accident Site
N4698W struck rising ground north of Kinglassie with low forward speed and a high rate of descent. The left wing was more damaged than the right, indicating a shallow left roll attitude at impact. Landing gear was up. The propeller was in fine pitch with one blade folded rearwards beneath the nose; the other two blades were intact without impact marks, consistent with windmilling while not being driven by the engine at impact. No fire occurred. Pre-accident positions of the magneto switch and fuel selector valve could not be reliably determined.
The left wing fuel tank was ruptured with no remaining fuel. Approximately 20 litres of fuel was recovered from the right wing.
Recorded Information
An engine monitor (J.P. Instruments EDM700) logged fuel flow, turbocharger inlet air temperature, and cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures every six seconds. It tracked total fuel consumed but did not record rpm or manifold pressure. Position and altitude data from a Pilot Aware ground station at Fife Airport were also recorded. The combined data showed that approximately 1.1 US gallons of fuel was used before engine parameters indicated failure.
CCTV and mobile phone footage showed N4698W descending over Kinglassie with a varying right wing down bank, occasionally recovering to wings level. The propeller was windmilling. Another CCTV showed the aircraft just before impact in a left wing low and nose-down attitude, with engine misfiring sounds interspersed with periods of silence.
Aircraft Information
The Rockwell Commander 112 TCA is a four-seat light aircraft powered by a single turbocharged four-cylinder piston engine driving a three-bladed constant speed propeller. It has one fuel tank per wing, each with 34 US gallons useable capacity. Two fuel sump drain points are provided per wing. The wing tanks connect to a fuel selector valve in the cockpit with positions off, left, both, right, and off. The Pilot's Operating Handbook requires the selector to be set to both for takeoff and landing. Fuel flows to a gascolator, then an electric boost pump, then an engine-driven mechanical pump, and finally to the carburettor.
Each wing fuel tank has a filler cap secured by a quick-release Camloc stud engaging with a hinged anti-syphon flap. A rubber grommet seal provides sealing between the filler cap and wing. The stud's shaft has an O-ring seal.
Post-accident examination of the fuel system revealed significant water contamination throughout the system. The right-hand wing filler cap grommet was cracked, which could have allowed rain to enter.
Maintenance History
A 50-hour service was carried out on 1 December 2023 by an LAA Inspector, who did not hold FAA approval to certify maintenance on US-registered aircraft. The work was not supervised by an FAA A&P mechanic. The worksheets were later counter-stamped by an FAA A&P IA mechanic who was not present when the service took place. No logbook entry was made for the 50-hour service.
Additional Actions
The AAIB released a Special Bulletin in March 2025 containing preliminary information and clarifying that an entire fuel sample tube of water drained from the fuel system can still produce an Avgas odour. The CAA will review 'Safety sense leaflet number 28: Fuel Handling and Storage' to include more detailed pre-flight fuel sampling techniques. One Safety Recommendation was made to Commander Aircraft Corporation to amend maintenance manuals to provide specific inspection criteria for fuel tank rubber grommet seals.