Aero Commander 100 accident near Llano, Texas, July 20, 2011
On July 20, 2011 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N3656X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Llano, Texas (Llano Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2011 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Llano, Texas · Llano Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N3656X · no longer on the register · serial 309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor and his student were practicing takeoffs and landings for approximately an hour. After taking a break, they continued the practice session. The pilot said that the airplane was configured properly for the landing; however, he failed to attain the proper touchdown point, and the airplane impacted a tire used to mark the approach end of the runway. The airplane bounced, yawed right, exited the runway, and collided with nearby trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and tail section. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and said he should have selected a touchdown point further down the runway which would have allowed more room for error.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 260 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,680 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 2,360 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AQO Llano TX
- Destination: AQO Llano TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 13, 3,240 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KAQO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.