Aero Commander 560E accident near Jacksonville, Florida, August 31, 2010
On August 31, 2010 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Aero Commander 560E, registered N175SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Jacksonville, Florida (Herlong airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of power in both engines during climb due to fuel contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2010 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Herlong · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 560E · all 560Es on the register
- Registration
- N175SP · registry record · serial 783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The multi-engine airplane was being flown to an airport about 15 miles from the departure airport for avionics maintenance. The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection, which included checking the fuel tanks for water contamination. After a normal takeoff, the airplane was in a climb between 1,500 and 2,000 feet mean sea level when the left engine surged and lost all power. Shortly thereafter, the right engine began to surge and also lost all power. The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck trees during an ensuing forced landing to an interstate. Examination of the airframe and both engines did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. A 1.5-gallon fuel sample drained from the airplane's fuel tanks contained about 2 cups of water. The airplane had been operated for about 24 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 6 weeks prior to the accident. The accident flight was the first flight after the airplane had been refueled, but only partially, about 3 weeks earlier.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 242 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,475 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 2010; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming GO-480-G1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming GO-480-G1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEG Jacksonville FL at 12:10 pm
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from CRG, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 ERA10LA457.