Aero Commander 112 accident near Granbury, Texas, July 18, 2022
On July 18, 2022 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1974 Aero Commander 112, registered N1181J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Granbury, Texas (Granbury Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to metal contamination within the cylinder following poor maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2022 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · Granbury Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 112, built 1974 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N1181J · registry record · serial 181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed a new engine run-up on the day of the accident. He stated that after he conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane, he taxied and performed multiple engine run-ups. He then shut down the engine and added fuel. The pilot started the engine and performed multiple engine run-ups both before and after taxiing to the runway with no engine anomalies noted. After takeoff, the engine sustained a loss of power while climbing through about 100 ft above ground level. The pilot performed a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed one of the airbox’s three aluminum spacers was missing. Pieces of the spacer were found in cylinder Nos. 1 and 2 with additional material within the No 1 spark plug lead. The cylinders exhibited pitting damage from the spacer. It is likely that the metallic pieces within the engine cylinder shorted the engine ignition, thus reducing and/or ceasing engine power production on those cylinders. An examination of the remaining engine and systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The accident occurred on the first flight following an annual inspection and engine installation following a propeller strike inspection. Investigators were not able to determine how the spacer was introduced to the cylinder.
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 enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › (general) › Not specified
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Record › keeping › Aircraft/maintenance logs › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 540 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 8, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,565.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GDJ Granbury TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: GDJ Granbury TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from GDJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN22LA322.