Aero Commander 680-F accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico, July 11, 2009
On July 11, 2009 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Aero Commander 680-F, registered N70QT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Angel Fire, New Mexico (Angel Fire Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the initial takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2009 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Angel Fire, New Mexico · Angel Fire Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680-F · all 680-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N70QT · no longer on the register · serial 1208-109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial rated pilot began his takeoff roll using normal takeoff power and configuration. As the pilot began back pressure on the yoke to start rotation, the airplane began to drift left of the runway centerline. Right rudder was applied and the airplane drift slowed but the control correction was not sufficient and the airplane departed the runway. The pilot still had full power applied and added full right rudder and aileron to avoid several parked aircraft on the apron. The airplane clipped a barbed wire fence as it departed the runway coming to rest upright in a pasture perpendicular to the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, the nose gear collapsed, the left engine and propeller, and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot and his passenger were uninjured and egressed normally.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,258 hours in all; 415 in this make and model; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAXX Angel Fire NM at 3:20 pm
- Destination: KMTJ Montrose CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 8,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.56 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm from KAXX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CEN09CA433.