TITUSVILLE, FL, USA
N6880S
AERO COMMANDER 680
WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT BRIEFLY BEFORE IT CRASHED. ONE WITNESS SAW THE ACFT FLYING TOWARD A DARK CLOUD AT AN UNKNOWN ALT, BUT TOO HIGH TO FLY UNDER IT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE HEARD THE ENG NOISE INCREASE & DECREASE, THEN INCREASE UNTIL IT WAS LOUD. HE THEN HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. HE DID NOT SEE THE CRASH, BUT SAW SMOKE FROM THE CRASH. SITE. A WOMAN CLOSE TO THE CRASH SITE SAID THE WX WAS VERY WINDY, HEAVY RAIN WAS FALLING & VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE OUTBOARD WING PANELS HAD FAILED FROM POSITIVE OVERLOADS & THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. THESE PARTS WERE FOUND 3/4 TO 1 MI FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. PRIOR TO THE FLT, A PASSENGER, WHO PAID FOR FUEL & MINOR MAINTENANCE, SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS FOR SURVEYING. HOWEVER, NO SURVEYING EQUIPMENT WAS ON BOARD. SHERIFF PERSONNEL SAID THE ACFT WAS UNDER SURVEILLANCE FOR AN ILLEGAL OPERATION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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