Aero Commander 100-180 accident near Gordonville, Texas, March 18, 2023
On March 18, 2023 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1970 Aero Commander 100-180, registered N4064X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gordonville, Texas (Cedar Mills airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A fatigue fracture of the nose landing gear scissor link, which resulted in a separation of the nose landing gear piston assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2023 · about 3:00 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Gordonville, Texas · Cedar Mills · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100-180, built 1970 · all 100-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4064X · registry record · serial 5164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying the last airplane to land in a group of six airplanes. During the landing, the main landing gear touched down on the grass runway and the airplane bounced once. When the airplane touched down again, the nose landing gear collapsed, the propeller blades contacted the grass, and the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear scissor link showed that the fracture face had failed from fatigue, which resulted in a separation of the nose landing gear piston assembly. Based on witness reports, ground scars, and damage to the nosewheel fairing, it’s likely the scissor link failed either during the initial touchdown or when the nose wheel touched down after the bounced landing. The strut remained attached to the airplane at the engine mount. The aircraft logbooks showed that a bushing on the scissor link had been replaced several months before the accident. There was insufficient evidence to determine the source of the fatigue crack and whether a mechanic would have been able to identify the fatigue during a visual inspection.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Failure other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 265.9 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 2.2 in the last 90 days; 2.2 in the last 30 days; 213.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,129 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,475 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KF14 Iowa Park TX at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07/2, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from KGYI, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGYI 181550Z 36014G20KT 10SM CLR 07/M04 A3043=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on June 20, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 23-053 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Edited 6120 First Page Submitted 1/31/2024 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pilot Drawing of Accident Site | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Email Correspondence with FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Excerpt from Parts Catalogue | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Excerpt from Maintenance Manual | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Excerpt from POH | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Excerpt from Maintenance Logbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4064X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander 100 166 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F 14 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Cedar Mills Airport · nearest airport
- Wichita Valley Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR23LA130.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.