Aero Commander 690 accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, November 12, 2018
On November 12, 2018 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1981 Aero Commander 690, registered N840JC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (Myrtle Beach Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with low-level windshear and turbulence during the landing approach, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2018 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · Myrtle Beach Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 690 C, built 1981 · all 690s on the register
- Registration
- N840JC · no longer on the register · serial 11676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was approaching the airport to land in instrument meteorological conditions when he encountered heavy turbulence. He continued the approach and the airplane started to descend rapidly. Although he added full power in an attempt to climb, the airplane continued to descend until it collided with the Atlantic Ocean. The forward portion of the fuselage, which included the cockpit separated from the airplane. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the airplane before the accident. Review of weather information for the area of the airport about the time of the accident revealed light to moderate precipitation with a high potential for moderate turbulence and low-level wind shear below about 2,000 ft. Radar imagery did not reveal signatures typically associated with microburst activity. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot encountered low-level windshear and turbulence during the approach, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
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
- Turbulence encounter during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR final approach)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Clear air turbulence › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,335 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,441.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 2018; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,635 lb
- Seats: 13
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TPE33110T511K (turboprop); 8,326 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TPE331-5-252M (turboprop); 8,349 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBE Cumberland MD at 4:29 pm
- Destination: MYR Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 9,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KMYR, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N840JC 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 ERA19LA043.