Aero Commander 100 accident near Panacea, Florida, September 15, 1992
On September 15, 1992 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N3791X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panacea, Florida (Wakulla County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR PUSH/PULL ROD END BEARING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1992 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Panacea, Florida · Wakulla County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N3791X · no longer on the register · serial 287
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. EXAM OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE ROD END BEARING ATTACHED TO THE SINGLE STEERING PUSH/PULL ROD, SEPARATED. THIS ALLOWED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO ROTATE 90 DEGREES TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE ROD END BEARING WAS NOT LOCATED. THE PUSH/PULL ROD WAS NOT EXAMINED THEREFORE NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE.
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: 10,800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 1991; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40J Perry FL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: PFN Panama City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,880 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from TLH, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.