Aero Commander 112 accident near Roanoke, Alabama, May 4, 1986
On May 4, 1986 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Aero Commander 112, registered N55VH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Alabama (Roanake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1986 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Alabama · Roanake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 112 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N55VH · registry record · serial 246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. WHILE ON FINAL APCH, FULL FLAPS WERE LOWERED AND POWER WAS ADDED TO MAINTAIN 80 KTS. THE ACFT CONTINUED DESCENDING, THE AIRSPEED DECREASED TO 65-70 KTS AND THE STALL WARNING ACTIVATED. THE PLT THEN APPLIED PWR TO GO-AROUND, HOWEVER, HE APPLIED TOO MUCH BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE AND THE ACFT CONTINUED TO MUSH. THE ACFT TRAVELED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND INTO A WOODED AREA. THE PLT LATER REFLECTED HE HAD NOT RECENTLY PRACTICED GO-AROUNDS AND BELIEVES THE FLAPS WERE INADVERTENTLY RAISED WHEN PWR WAS ADDED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 235 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,700 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.