Aero Commander 112 accident near Carlsbad, New Mexico, December 24, 1995
On December 24, 1995 at about 1:05 am local time, a Aero Commander 112, registered N1152J, was destroyed in an accident near Carlsbad, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors were the pilot's lack of total actual instrument weather time and the clouds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1995 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 112 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N1152J · no longer on the register · serial 171
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated private pilot was on an IFR flight from San Marcos, Texas, to Carlsbad, New Mexico. During an ILS RWY 3 approach to the Cavern City Air Terminal at Carlsbad, the pilot executed a missed approach. The pilot reported to ATC that his glide slope failed. While maneuvering in the clouds to reattempt an approach at Carlsbad, the pilot lost control of the airplane and impacted the terrain. A pilot reported the weather at Carlsbad was VFR below 1,100 feet with the tops of the clouds from 7200 to 7500 feet. The pilot was instructed to maintain 7,000 feet. The pilot made three 'mayday' calls prior to stating that, 'five two Juliet totally disoriented.' According to the pilot's log books he had accumulated 44 hours of instrument flight time of which 38.4 hours were logged as actual instrument weather time since July 20, 1993. The pilot's instrument flight instructor reported that whenever the pilot filed an IFR flight plan, he would log the flight as actual instrument weather time. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any pre-mishap discrepancies. Due to the extent of damage, flight control continuity could not be established.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 318 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 266 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1995; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T98 San Marcos TX at 9:34 pm
- Destination: CNM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.