Aero Commander 500 accident near Effingham, Illinois, June 4, 1999
On June 4, 1999 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500, registered N711NE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Effingham, Illinois (Effingham County Memorial airport). It was a business 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
inadvertent wheels-up landing and the checklist not followed by the pilot. The landing gear lever not engaged was an additional cause.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1999 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Effingham, Illinois · Effingham County Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N711NE · registry record · serial 667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a wheels-up landing on runway 29 at Effingham County Memorial Airport, Effingham, Illinois. The pilot reported that he had lowered the landing gear and completed a checklist consisting of seven items, one of which was the landing gear. He stated that on the base leg he began to add flaps. He touched down on runway's centerline; at which point, he began to hear a low vibration. He added that when the throttles were retarded to the idle position, the gear warning horn sounded, which he initially thought was the stall warning horn. The pilot stated that during the aircraft's recovery, he had selected the master switch to the 'ON' position, and the landing gear warning horn sounded. He then stated that when he lowered the landing gear handle the landing gear extended. The pilot described the placement of the flap control and landing gear control as being separated by a distance of approximately five inches.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 296 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 234 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M33 Gallatin TN at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 1H2
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MTO, 28 miles away
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.