Rockwell Grand Commander 690 crash, Aug 11, 2002 (4 killed)
Rockwell Grand Commander 690 accident on August 11, 2002 near Bishop, California, United States with 4 fatalities. Cause: Pilot failed to maintain...
- Date: August 11, 2002
- Aircraft: Rockwell Grand Commander 690
- Location: Bishop, California, United States
- Fatalities: 4
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: Pilot failed to maintain adequate terrain clearance in the traffic pattern, affected by visual illusions from the lack of ground reference lights and low terrain contrast in the dark.
A Rockwell Grand Commander flew a night visual approach to an uncontrolled airport in the desert, with no ground lights near the airfield. On base leg the bank steepened and the aircraft descended into level desert terrain short of the runway. All four people aboard were killed, and examination found no mechanical failure.