Aero Commander 100 accident near Mullin, Texas, January 4, 2020
On January 4, 2020 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1967 Aero Commander 100, registered N5573M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Mullin, Texas (Private Airstrip 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
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2020 · about 10:00 pm local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Mullin, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 UNDESIGNAT, built 1967 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N5573M · no longer on the register · serial 107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting a cross-country flight. During a gradual descent to the destination airstrip, the engine lost total power, and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the subsequent forced landing. The airplane was recovered from the accident site and an engine examination and test run revealed no anomalies. Examination of the fuel selector revealed that either the fuel selector handle or the pointer was installed 180° out of position. When the selector handle was selected to BOTH, the valve was completely closed, in what should have been the OFF position. When the selector handle was selected to OFF, the valve was open, in what should have been the BOTH position. The temperature and dewpoint for the accident time and accident site were not conducive to the formation of carburetor icing. It is possible that if the fuel selector was manipulated to the BOTH position during the flight, the fuel may have been prevented from reaching the engine due to the incorrect installation of the selector handle. However, the examination could not determine whether it was the selector handle or the pointer that was installed incorrectly. Based on the available evidence, the reason for the total loss of engine power could not be determined.
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 approach defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach
- Unknown or undetermined during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined other cases naming the engine
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,756 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,659 as pilot in command; 593 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 77.1 hours in all; 57.9 in this make and model; 39.5 in the last 90 days; 18.7 in the last 30 days; 70.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,335.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-320-A2B (piston); 2,335 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Mullin TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 4:01 pm from KMKN, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Side view of the inverted airplane in the dirt field
Photo 2 – Rear view of the inverted airplane in the dirt field
Photo 3 – Left side view of the engine
Photo 4 – Front view of the engine
Photo 5 – Front view of the installed fuel tank to facilitate the engine run
Photo 6 – Side view of the engine operatingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on September 23, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Airplane and Maintenance Documents | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Engine Run Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Airframe Examination Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Graph | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5573M: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Aero Commander 100 166 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-320-A2B 179 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Abilene Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20LA055.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.