Aero Commander 112 accident near Memphis, Tennessee, December 11, 1995
On December 11, 1995 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 112, registered N88MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S AND GROUND PERSONNEL'S IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE COMMUNICATIONS BEING NOT UNDERSTOOD AND INADEQUATE TRAINING FOR BOTH THE PILOT AND GROUND PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1995 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 112 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N88MS · no longer on the register · serial 97
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REQUESTED A GROUND POWER UNIT (GPU) TO ASSIST WITH THE ENGINE START. THE FBO USED A 28-VOLT, 800-AMP GPU. THE AIRPLANE HAS A 12-VOLT SYSTEM. THE GPU WAS ATTACHED TO THE AIRPLANE, AND AFTER THE BATTERY SWITCH WAS TURNED ON THE BATTERY EXPLODED AND A FIRE ENSUED.
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: 2,779 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 680 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MEM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from MEM
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.