Aero Commander 560 accident near Crestview, Florida, July 26, 2018
On July 26, 2018 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 1955 Aero Commander 560, registered N2705B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Crestview, Florida (Bob Sikes airport). It was a ferry 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A collapse of the right main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2018 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Crestview, Florida · Bob Sikes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 560 Undesignat, built 1955 · all 560s on the register
- Registration
- N2705B · no longer on the register · serial 205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had not operated for about 7 years and the pilot was relocating it from Texas to Florida for repairs under a special flight permit (ferry permit) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Before departing on the flight, both main landing gear bungies were replaced, and their replacement was documented during the FAA's pre-ferry flight inspection. During the third stop of the trip, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the side of the runway, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed that the right landing gear bungies were missing; however, the airplane was removed from the accident site before the examination could take place, and whether the bungies separated before or after the accident could not be determined. No further testing or examination of the landing gear was performed, and the reason for the gear collapse was not determined based on the available information.
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 gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,985 hours in all; 345 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 17, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,727 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 17, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming GO-480-B (piston); 1,255 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming GO-480-B (piston); 1,255 hours total
- Operator: Tarvair Eclipse LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ORG Orange TX at 11:45 am
- Destination: CEW Crestview FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from CEW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2705B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA18LA201.