Aero Commander 500A accident near White Mills, PA
On December 16, 1993, an Aero Commander 500A (airplane) was involved in an accident near White Mills, PA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 16, 1993
- Place
- White Mills, PA
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 41.519°N, 75.219°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X13904
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On Thursday, December 16, 1993, at 1515 eastern standard time, an Aero Commander 500A, N9379R, piloted by Jerry L. Raff, was destroyed by impact with the terrain, while maneuvering, near White Mills, Pennsylvania. The pilot and pilot/passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. The airplane departed the Cherry Ridge Airport, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, at 1445, for a local flight. About 1513, witnesses observed the airplane flying east of the airport in a southerly direction. One witness, stated: I heard the airplane (pitch of the motors) get loud and saw the plane roll. While he was upside down and starting to descend his plane lost a piece. I could not at that point tell for sure if it was wing, tail or parts. Then he went what appeared to be straight down. Another witness stated: Airplane was flying as if normal then maneuvered into an inverted position by going in a clockwise turn and was headed in a south east direction. The plane disappeared over the tree line from my sight in a southerly direction. A Certified Flight Instructor at the Cherry Ridge Airport, said: [I] saw aircraft flying south at approximately 5000 ft msl. Aircraft then pulled a nose high attitude and bank sharply into a slow barrel roll. It then looked to go straight down from inverted flight position. Lost sight of aircraft. Heard engines go to full throttle then heard impact... The accident occurred during the hours of daylight, at about 41 degrees, 31 minutes North; 75 degrees
Probable cause
was the fracture and separation of the airplane wing, and the subsequent loss of control and collision with trees, as a result of the pilot's repeated performance of acrobatic maneuvers, which exceeded the design limits of the airplane.
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Browse: Pennsylvania · Aero Commander aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
