Aero Commander 680FL P accident near Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 3, 1983
On February 3, 1983 at about 5:02 pm local time, a Aero Commander 680FL P, registered N12LF, was destroyed in an accident near Sunbury, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight 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 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 3, 1983 · about 5:02 pm local time
- Place
- Sunbury, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680FL P · all 680FL Ps on the register
- Registration
- N12LF · no longer on the register · serial 0141610
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APRX 0928 EST, THE PLT OBTAINED A FSS WX BRIEFING BY TELEPHONE. HE WAS BRIEFED ON CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILINGS, FOG, LIGHT RAIN, DRIZZLE, SNOW & BLOWING SNOW ALONG HIS ROUTE. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT ASK ABOUT ICING CONDITIONS & THE BRIEFING DID NOT INCLUDE A FLT PRECAUTION FOR ICING NOR A SIGMET (ISSUED AT 0820 EST) WHICH FORECASTED MODERATE TO SEVERE MIXED ICING. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT MADE SEVERAL ATLITUDE CHANGES BY REQUEST. WHEN HE WAS QUERIED ABOUT A HEADING DEVIATION, HE REPLIED 'WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM.' THIS WAS THE LAST RADIO CONTACT. ATC RECEIVED NO RADIO CALLS CONCERNING ICING PROBLEMS OR AN EMERGENCY. WITNESSES NEAR THE CRASH SITE SAW THE ACFT COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT, ROTATING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, THEN IMPACT & BURN. AIRFRAME ICE UP TO 1/2 INCH THICK WAS FOUND ON/NEAR PARTS THAT WERE NOT FIRE DAMAGED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,650 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 15 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1982; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720 B1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 3:54 pm
- Destination: CLI Clintonville WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; not recorded at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from IPT, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N12LF 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.