Aero Commander 500 accident near Albany, Georgia, December 1, 1985
On December 1, 1985 at about 8:12 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500, registered N999B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albany, Georgia (Tallassee Plantation airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1985 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Albany, Georgia · Tallassee Plantation
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N999B · no longer on the register · serial 500-754
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE WET SOD RUNWAY WITH A 30 TO 35 KNOT TAILWIND AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT RELATED THAT THE WIND SHIFTED 180 DEGREES UPON TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 1000 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE 4200 FT RUNWAY.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,565 hours in all; 6,100 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 7,985 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,890 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1986; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming D540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palm Beach Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: ABY Albany GA at 8:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.