Aero Commander 685 accident near Victoria, Texas, June 15, 2013
On June 15, 2013 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Aero Commander 685, registered N74CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Victoria, Texas (Victoria Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel's failure to secure the left engine idler pin during overhaul, which resulted in a catastrophic engine failure and subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2013 · about 2:47 pm local time
- Place
- Victoria, Texas · Victoria Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 685 · all 685s on the register
- Registration
- N74CP · registry record · serial 12061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two days before the accident, both engines lost power after takeoff. The pilot returned to the airport and landed the airplane uneventfully. Maintenance personnel were unable to determine the cause of the engines' power loss. Both engine wastegates were removed and bench tested, and they operated normally. Ground, high-speed taxi, and flight tests were conducted with no discrepancies noted. Earlier on the day of the accident, the airplane had been flown for an uneventful 45-minute flight. However, during takeoff for the accident flight, both engines lost power, and the pilot made a forced landing in a field. Disassembly of the left engine revealed that the idler pin was unsecured and that no nuts were present on either of the two bolt studs. The bolt studs were worn and stripped of threads near the base, consistent with being worn by the free movement of the idler pin. The engine casting where the idler pin was installed was fractured. The crankshaft, camshaft, starter drive, and starter adapter gear teeth were stripped, and metal fragments were noted in the oil screen and sump. The right engine was functionally tested and operated satisfactorily at all power settings. Based on the evidence found during the left engine examinations, it is likely that a catastrophic left engine failure occurred during the accident flight due to an unsecured idler pin.
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 (total) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Accessory gear › boxes › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,860 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 7, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,291 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 29, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor GTSIO-520-K1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor GTSIO-520-K1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVCT Victoria Region TX at 2:46 pm
- Destination: KVCT Victoria Region TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13L, 9,101 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from KVCT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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 CEN13FA352.