Aero Commander 690A accident near Antlers, Oklahoma, October 15, 2006
On October 15, 2006 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Aero Commander 690A, registered N55JS, was destroyed in an accident near Antlers, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to reduce airspeed while operating in an area of moderate turbulence, resulting in an in-flight break up. Contributing factors were the pilot's decision to exceed the maximum takeoff weight, and the prevailing turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2006 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Antlers, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 690A · all 690As on the register
- Registration
- N55JS · registry record · serial 11195
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 37 minutes after departing on a 928-nautical mile cross-country flight under instrument flight rules, the twin-engine turboprop airplane experienced an in-flight break-up after encountering moderate turbulence while in cruise flight at the assigned altitude of FL230. In the moments preceding the break-up, the airplane had been flying approximately 15 to 20 knots above the placarded maximum airspeed for operations in moderate turbulence. The airplane was found to be approximately 1,038 pounds over the maximum takeoff weight listed in the airplane's type certificate data sheet (TCDS). The last radar returns indicated that the airplane performed a 180-degree left turn while descending at a rate of approximately 13,500 feet per minute. There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident. The wreckage was located the next day in densely wooded terrain. The wreckage was scattered over an area approximately three miles long by one mile wide. An examination of the airframe revealed that the airplane's design limits had been exceeded, and that the examined fractures were due to overload failure.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,450 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,943 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 10,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honeywell Aerospace TPE33110T515K (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from AQR, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DFW07FA004.