Aero Commander 200D accident near Covington, Washington, April 28, 1996
On April 28, 1996 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander 200D, registered N2975T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Washington (Crest Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation, due to the pilot's improper fuel management. The uneven terrain in the forced landing area was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1996 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Washington · Crest Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 200D · all 200Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2975T · registry record · serial 348
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the aircraft's two main tanks (usable capacity 18.5 gallons each) were half full, with 'a couple of inches of fuel visible' before takeoff. He elected to make a 15-1/2 nautical mile flight without refueling. During the base-to-final turn at the destination, the aircraft's engine lost power. The pilot stated that he immediately switched from the left main tank to the right main tank, but that he 'did not activate the boost pump because it had flooded the engine in the past.' The engine did not restart, and the pilot decided he would not be able to reach the landing runway. He then performed a forced landing in a soft, uneven field. The airplane was substantially damaged during the forced landing. On-site examination revealed that the left main tank contained only residual fuel, the right main tank appeared empty, and both auxiliary tanks (usable capacity 18.5 gallons each) appeared about 1/4 full. During a postaccident engine test, the engine was successfully run for approximately five minutes by using residual fuel in the main tanks.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,180 hours in all; 424 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,539 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S0 Puyallup WA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: S36 WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.