Aero Commander 200D accident near Lancaster, California, January 2, 1995
On January 2, 1995 at about 1:10 am local time, a Aero Commander 200D, registered N200AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation due to the pilot's failure to select a tank containing fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1995 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 200D · all 200Ds on the register
- Registration
- N200AW · registry record · serial 383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD WHEN A CAR GOT IN THE WAY. THE PILOT THEN SET UP TO LAND IN A DESERT AREA ADJACENT TO THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. A FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS POSITIONED TO A FUEL TANK THAT WAS EMPTY. THE OTHER THREE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. THE FUEL PUMP FUNCTIONED NORMALLY WHEN ACTIVATED WITH AIRCRAFT BATTERY POWER, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO A TANK CONTAINING FUEL. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE FUEL PUMP. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND INSTALLED IN A TEST CELL. THE ENGINE STARTED WITHOUT HESITATION AND WAS EXERCISED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL POWER RANGE.
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: 450 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1993; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA
- Destination: L00 Rosamond CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N200AW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.