Aero Commander 500S accident near Richmond Hts., Ohio, February 7, 1992
On February 7, 1992 at about 2:01 am local time, a Aero Commander 500S, registered N725AC, was destroyed in an accident near Richmond Hts., Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT SPIN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO ALLOW RECOVERY. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE; A POWER LOSS IN THE LEFT ENGINE AS RESULT OF THE EXHAUST VALVE FAILURES IN CYLINDERS #3 AND #5.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1992 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Richmond Hts., Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500S · all 500Ss on the register
- Registration
- N725AC · registry record · serial 3144
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD THE WASTE GATES ON THE TURBOCHARGES ADJUSTED AND WANTED TO TEST FLY THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED AND HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1000 FEET WHEN WITNESSES HEARD AN ENGINE SPUTTER. THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ENTER A NOSE LOW, LEFT SPIN BEFORE IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. A TEAR DOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVES IN CYLINDERS #3 AND #5 WERE BURNT THROUGH AT THE VALVE HEAD. THE #5 EXHAUST VALVE HAD A DEEP PREEXISTING DEEP MARK ON THE VALVE STEM. THE FAILURES OF BOTH VALVES WERE SUFFICENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A POWER FAILURE IN THE LEFT ENGINE.
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: 1,111 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 930 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,276 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1991; 500 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.