Aero Commander 100-180 accident near Bastrop, Louisiana, January 21, 1990
On January 21, 1990 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100-180, registered N3712X, was destroyed in an accident near Bastrop, Louisiana (Memorial airport). It was a personal 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE FUEL SYSTEM DRAINS, WHICH PREVENTED AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE FUEL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1990 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bastrop, Louisiana · Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100-180 · all 100-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3712X · no longer on the register · serial 5014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PREFLT, THE PLT DRAINED THE FUEL SYS/SEDIMENT BOWL UNDER THE ENG COMPARTMENT UNTIL NO WATER CAME OUT. HE NOTED 'QUITE A LOT' OF WATER HAD DRAINED FM THE FUEL SYS. THERE WERE NO FUEL DRAINS UNDER THE WINGS. THE PLT THEN REFUELED THE ACFT, REDRAINED THE FUEL SYS & FND NO MORE WATER. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABT 150' AGL, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND ON THE ARPT, BUT NOT ON THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK 3 STEEL POLES THAT WERE PART OF AN OLD BUILDING. A POST-ACDNT FUEL SAMPLE FROM THE ACFT CONTAINED 1 INCH OF WATER & 3 INCHES OF FUEL. A SAMPLE OF FUEL FM THE STORAGE TANK CONTAINED NO WATER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,184 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2F8 at 10:05 pm
- Destination: 2F8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.