Aero Commander 680 FL accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 22, 2005
On July 22, 2005, a Aero Commander 680 FL, registered N7UP, was destroyed in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive selection of flaps prior to takeoff, which resulted in a failure to obtain/maintain an appropriate climb airspeed, and an inadvertent stall/mush during takeoff-initial climb. A factor contributing to the accident was a high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2005
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680 FL · all 680 FLs on the register
- Registration
- N7UP · registry record · serial 134929
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane descended into the ground during takeoff-initial climb on a local fire reconnaissance flight. Witnesses reported that airplane became airborne, but was not climbing, and it continued down the runway in a nose-up attitude in ground effect until impacting terrain about 600 feet southeast from the departure end of the runway. The ambient temperature was about 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and the density altitude was calculated at 5,878 feet mean sea level. On scene examination found the flaps in the 30-degree position, which also corresponded to the flap actuator position. The cockpit indicator for the flaps also showed a 30-degree extension. A subsequent bench test of the combined flap/gear selector valve was conducted. During the initial inspection, both the gear selector and the flap selector valves were bent, but otherwise operational. The "stop-pin" on the flap selector lever was missing. There was no leakage of fluid during this test. Examination of both engines revealed no abnormalities, which would prevent normal operations. The aircraft flight manual specifies that the flaps should be set at 1/4 down (10 degrees) for normal takeoff.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,285 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 4,405 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,942.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2005; 39.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Textron Lycoming IO-720-B1BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Textron Lycoming IO-720-B1BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Dept Of Agriculture - Forest Service
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Destination: VGT
- Runway 12R, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.