Aero Commander 680V accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 3, 1990
On November 3, 1990 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Aero Commander 680V, registered N541F, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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-IN-COMMAND'S DECISION TO CONTINUE TAKEOFF WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE AIRPLANE - LOW POWER ON BOTH ENGINES WHICH RESULTED FROM OPEN COMPRESSOR SURGE VALVES. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING IN A TURN RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AND A STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1990 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680V · all 680Vs on the register
- Registration
- N541F · registry record · serial 1609-45
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT FLOWN SINCE JUNE, 1989. THE FLIGHT HAD MADE 2 HIGH-SPEED TAXI OPERATIONS BEFORE TAKEOFF. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF THE FLIGHT CALLED TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ON DOWNWIND 200-800 FT AGL, 15-25 DEG NOSE HIGH. THE AIRPLANE THEN STALLED. THE COMPRESSOR SURGE VALVES FOR THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES WERE FOUND IN THE OPEN POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,288 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 3, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 9,400 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE 331-43H (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:27 pm from FXE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.