Aero Commander 500B accident near Broomfield, Colorado, March 1, 2013
On March 1, 2013 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500B, registered N93AA, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Broomfield, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the fuel gauge to indicate the actual amount of fuel on board the airplane and the design of the airplane's fuel system, which precluded a visual confirmation of the fuel level.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2013 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500B · all 500Bs on the register
- Registration
- N93AA · no longer on the register · serial 500B-1296-111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, during the preflight inspection of the airplane, he checked the fuel gauge, and it indicated 65 gallons. Due to the design of the fuel system, it is not possible to visually check the fuel level to confirm that the fuel gauge indication is accurate. During takeoff and as he reduced power for enroute climb, the left engine began to surge and lose power. He immediately turned left back toward the airport and contacted the control tower to advise that he was making a single-engine, straight-in approach to land. When he lowered the landing gear, the right engine began to surge and lose power. Subsequently, the pilot declared an emergency, and, realizing he had insufficient engine power and altitude to return to the airport, he retracted the landing gear and made a no-flap, gear-up landing on a nearby golf course. Postaccident application of battery power to the airplane confirmed that the fuel gauge indicated 65 gallons; however, when the airplane's fuel system was drained, only about 1/2 gallon of fuel was recovered. Thus, the engines lost power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Design
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Operator
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity sensor › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 414 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American East Airways Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: KBKC Broomfield CO at 9:40 pm
- Destination: KBKC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 pm from KBJC, 25 miles away
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.
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.