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).
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 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2022 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · Granbury Regional Airport · cases near this 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 other cases naming the engine
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1: Accident Site (Source – Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)
Photo 2: Number One Cylinder (source - Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)
Photo 3: Number One Cylinder Spark Plug (source - Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)
Photo 4: Number Two Cylinder (source - Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)The 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 March 28, 2024. 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 | Records of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Airframe Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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
- N1181J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander 112 98 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 14 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Granbury Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,056 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA322.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.