Rockwell COMMANDER 114 accident near San Simon, Arizona, February 24, 1982
On February 24, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Rockwell COMMANDER 114, registered N4802W, was destroyed in an accident near San Simon, Arizona. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Simon, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell COMMANDER 114 COMMANDER
- Registration
- N4802W · no longer on the register · serial 14122
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER REFUELING AT ABILENE THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AROUND NOON ON THE SECOND LEG OF A FLIGHT TO REPOSSESS THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RAN THE ENGINE AT FULL RICH WITH THE FUEL FLOW METER READING 18 GPH. USING THIS FIGURE THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL AFTER 3.77 HOURS OF FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER, A RATED PILOT SITTING IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, SUGGESTED THAT THEY STOP FOR FUEL AT LEAST TWICE DURING THE FLIGHT, HOWEVER THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE. THE ENGINE RAN OUT OF FUEL AT APPROXIMATELY 1630 CST AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE NEXT TO A FREEWAY OVERPASS.
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: 160 hours in all; 95 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Abilene TX at 12:00 pm
- Destination: Deming NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.