Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buckeye, Arizona 85326
Wednesday, March 15, 2000 18:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness observed the airplane, while in cruise flight, as the right wing dipped to a near vertical position followed by the airplane diving into the ground. The witness went to the accident site where he found the pilot kneeling beside the wreckage. According to the witness, the pilot stated he was not trying to land at a nearby airport, but was 'screwing around.' The local sheriff's office report of the accident indicated that the pilot reported flying at 200 feet above the ground when he reduced power to observe the airplane's glide capability at that height. According to the sheriff's report, the pilot further stated that a wind gust resulted in the left wing dropping. When the pilot corrected for the gust, he overcompensated, lost control, and the airplane flew into the ground. The pilot has a student pilot certificate with no solo endorsement for the Commander 100. His last solo endorsement was for a Cessna 152 dated March 10, 1987. The last flight entry in his pilot logbook was dated July 10, 1999, and indicated a flight in the accident airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper judgment and his failure to maintain clearance from the ground. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BUCKEYE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85326
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID GYR
Elevation of weather observation facility 959
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13583
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2003 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3896X
NTSB Number LAX00LA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aero Commander
Aircraft Model 100
Aircraft Series Identifier 100
Aircraft Serial Number 132
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH BELOAT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2646 S 159 AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City GOODYEAR
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85323
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BXK
Departure City
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 12 2001 4:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --