Commander Aircraft 114TC accident near Hutchinson, Kansas, November 3, 2003
On November 3, 2003, a Commander Aircraft 114TC, registered N6107Z, was destroyed in an accident near Hutchinson, Kansas (Hutchinson Municipal Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's diverted attention during the missed approach which resulted in aircraft control not being maintained. Factors to the accident included the pilot not being current for instrument operations and the low cloud ceiling at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2003
- Place
- Hutchinson, Kansas · Hutchinson Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Commander Aircraft 114TC
- Registration
- N6107Z · no longer on the register · serial 20007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain during a missed approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot had been cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 13 approach into Hutchinson Municipal Airport. The decision altitude for the approach is 1,724 feet msl (200 feet agl). The pilot reported going missed approach after passing the middle marker at 1,600 feet msl (75 feet agl), based on aircraft radar track data. The missed approach instructions were to climb to 4,000 feet msl on runway heading and contact Wichita approach control. A plot of the radar track data showed the airplane in a climbing left turn. The aircraft's climbing left turn reached a maximum altitude of 2,000 feet msl (460 feet agl) before the airplane entered a descending left turn. The pilot was communicating with Wichita approach control during the left climbing turn. The airplane impacted off the left side of runway 22 on a 334-degree magnetic heading. The airplane impacted left wing first and the total wreckage debris path was approximately 280 feet long. An FAA test aircraft flew the ILS runway 13 approach after the accident and determined the approach was fully operational and tested satisfactory. The pilot held an instrument rating, but was not instrument current as required by federal aviation regulations. The weather at the time of the accident included overcast ceilings at 200 feet agl and visibilities between 1-1/4 and 2 sm. No pre-impact anomalies were found with the airframe or the engine.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 887 hours in all; 753 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 830 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 26, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,333.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 2003; 182.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,305 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AG1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 11:37 pm
- Destination: HUT Hutchinson KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.