Aero Commander 700 accident near Breckenridge, Texas, June 5, 2000
On June 5, 2000 at about 3:15 am local time, a Aero Commander 700, registered N700AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Breckenridge, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion as a result of an inaccurate fuel quantity indicating system. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2000 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Breckenridge, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 700
- Registration
- N700AF · no longer on the register · serial 6987
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the flight departed with the fuel quantity gauges indicating 350-360 pounds of fuel in each fuel tank. Approximately 15 minutes from the destination, the fuel low light illuminated with an indication of approximately 100 pounds of fuel in each fuel tank. According to the aircraft manufacturer, the fuel low light should illuminate when there are 63 pounds of fuel remaining. When the flight was 5-10 miles from the airport, the fuel low light went out and the left engine lost power. The pilot turned the fuel boost pumps to high and noted that the fuel quantity gauges were indicating 50 pounds of fuel in each fuel tank. The pilot then opened the crossfeed valve and the left engine regained power. Shortly thereafter, both engines started to lose power. The pilot landed the airplane in a field; however, he could not stop the airplane before it impacted a barbed wire fence and mesquite trees. The pilot stated that the flight lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. At a best power (76% BHP) fuel flow rate of 130 pounds/hour, each engine would have used approximately 292.5 pounds of fuel. Assuming each fuel tank contained 350 pounds of fuel at the start of the flight, this would leave approximately 57.5 pounds of fuel in each fuel tank, allowing for 26 minutes of flight time.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,418 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 3,240 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2000; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,987 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-R2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRR Ruidoso NM at 1:00 am
- Destination: BKD Breckenridge TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from ABI, 51 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.