NTSB Factual Report

On August 14, 2004, at 1720 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander 112, N1222J, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Jackson, Ohio. The certificated airline transport pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for local personal flight that originated at James A. Rhodes Airport (I43), Jackson, Ohio, at 1715. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he last flew the airplane about one year prior to the accident, and during that flight, he returned to the airport immediately after takeoff due to a rough-running engine. On February 1, 2004, the airplane received an annual inspection and new fuel injectors were installed to address the rough engine. The airplane was last flown at the completion of that inspection.

The owner then asked the pilot to fly passengers in the airplane in August 2004. The pilot elected to fly the airplane solo first, in order to check the airplane prior to carrying passengers.

On the day of the accident, the preflight was performed, the airplane was started, and the before-takeoff checks were completed. The airplane was then ground-taxied and brought to full power three times with no anomalies noted prior to takeoff.

After takeoff, the landing gear handle was actuated, but the gear was slow to retract. At that time, the engine began to sputter, and produced only 20 percent power by the pilot's estimate.

The pilot initiated a right turn to avoid rising terrain in the takeoff path, the engine stopped producing power, and then the pilot selected a pasture for a forced landing. After touchdown with the landing gear partially retracted, the airplane slid along the ground, struck a tree with the right wing, spun around, and came to rest in a creek bed. The right wing, a wet-wing design, had ruptured and separated from the airplane during the crash sequence.

Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspectors revealed little evidence of fuel and no odor of fuel at the scene. Trace amounts of fuel were noted in the left fuel tank. The airplane was subsequently transported to a hangar on the airport for further examination.

The FAA inspectors examined the airplane, installed a replacement propeller, and attempted an engine start on August 25, 2004. The attempt was unsuccessful due to a damaged starter. On August 27, 2004, a slave starter was installed; the engine started, and ran continuously for approximately 20 seconds until the airplane's fuel supply was exhausted.

Fuel was then added to the left tank and the engine would not restart. The fuel system was disassembled from the fuel selector valve to the engine injector. All lines, valves, and screens were clear and absent of debris. The fuel system was reassembled and the engine started and ran continuously without interruption. The fuel selector was moved from the left to the both position and the engine continued to run without interruption.

Examination of airplane records revealed that the annual inspection was completed February 1, 2004 at 1507.4 aircraft hours. Total time on the airplane at the crash site was 1508.2 aircraft hours.

The fuel capacity of the airplane was 68 gallons. The owner of the airplane provided 2 fuel receipts dated February 28, 2004. The first receipt was for 49 gallons at 1448. At 1453, 5 minutes later, the owner purchased 7 gallons of fuel. The receipts displayed the owner's name, but not the registration number of the aircraft serviced.

During telephone interviews, the pilot said that the exact quantity of fuel in the airplane was not determined prior to takeoff. He said that he visually confirmed that each tank contained fuel, but that he did not measure the exact amount in each tank. The fuel gauges showed the left tank at one-quarter capacity and the right tank as "full". The pilot said he found this unusual because the right tank was "up", but not full. According to the pilot, "I didn't bring my stick with me. The only way to tell [fuel level] is to stick it, and unfortunately, I didn't stick the tanks."

According to the before-takeoff checklist in the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the pilot is directed to place the fuel selector on the "RIGHT or LEFT (fullest)" tank prior to takeoff. When asked, the pilot said he placed the fuel selector on the right tank for takeoff.

Prior to the accident, the airplane was stored in a hangar on the Jackson County Airport. Examination of the hangar floor revealed no evidence of fuel spillage or staining.

The weather reported at the Tri-State Airport, Huntington, West Virginia, 37 miles south of Jackson, at 1620, included winds from 360 degrees at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a broken ceiling at 8,000 feet, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure of 30.16 inches of mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons over unsuitable terrain.