Date & Time:
Jul 10, 1966 at 1252 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 560
Operator:
Chatham Aviation
Registration:
N3804C
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Morristown - Morristown
MSN:
560-732
YOM:
1959
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
500
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight from Morristown Airport when, while in cruising altitude, control was lost. The airplane went into a dive and eventually crashed in an open field located near Parsippany. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight after the right wing spar failed because the pilot was doing steep, low altitude maneuvers. Forces exceeded the designed stress limits of the aircraft. Overload failure.
Final Report:
N3804C.pdf79.87 KB