Aero Commander 112 accident near Westminister, Maryland, November 29, 2017
On November 29, 2017 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1973 Aero Commander 112, registered N690RU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Westminister, Maryland (Clearview Airpark airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath during the approach due to his distraction by the failure of an avionics panel, which resulted in a runway undershoot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2017 · about 2:30 pm local time · cases in 2017
- Place
- Westminister, Maryland · Clearview Airpark · 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 UNDESIGNAT, built 1973 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N690RU · no longer on the register · serial 33
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during the cross-country flight, he thought that the airplane had experienced an electrical failure, and he chose to divert to an airport. During final approach to the diversion airport, the student descended the airplane too low and then attempted to correct it by increasing engine power. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a grassy area just before the runway, which resulted in all three landing gear separating. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the electrical system was functional but that an avionics panel had failed. The failed avionics panel likely distracted the student pilot and led to his failure to maintain a proper glidepath during the approach, which resulted in the runway undershoot. The student reported that there were no other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Communications system › (general) › Failure other cases naming the instruments and avionics
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 179 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 16 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,692 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 2017; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 1,083 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Baltimore MD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 1,840 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 2:25 pm from DMW, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 3, 2018. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo | PDF, 1 page · 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
- N690RU: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Aero Commander 112 98 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 8,560 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Clearview Airpark · nearest airport
- Martin State Airport · departed from
- Eastern WV Rgnl/Shepherd Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Maryland 837 since 1982 · 111 in the last ten years
- Maryland 2,347 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA18LA034.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.