Aero Commander 685 accident near Southern Pines, North Carolina, April 5, 1989
On April 5, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander 685, registered N685RB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Southern Pines, North Carolina (Moore County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROLS WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND THE FAILURE TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE FOR A ROUGH ENGINE BY PLACING THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH IN THE LOW POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Southern Pines, North Carolina · Moore County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 685 · all 685s on the register
- Registration
- N685RB · no longer on the register · serial 12059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AN ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. HE PUT THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH IN THE HIGH BOOST POSITION AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE, AND PROP LEVERS TO MAX. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PWR ON BOTH ENGS. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE FORCED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE ACFT FLT MANUAL STATED THAT THE MIXTURE MUST BE ADJUSTED AT REDUCED POWER SETTINGS TO AVOID A RICH MIXTURE. THE EMERG PROCEDURES IN THE FLT MANUAL CAUTIONS THAT A ROUGH RUNNING ENG MAY BE DUE TO TOO RICH OF A MIXTURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,791 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1989; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,400 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-K1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh NC at 8:30 pm
- Destination: DNL Augusta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from POB, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL89LA121.