Aero Commander 500-B accident near Guntersville, Alabama, June 8, 1986
On June 8, 1986 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500-B, registered N326JR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Guntersville, Alabama (Gunthersville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 8, 1986 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Guntersville, Alabama · Gunthersville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500-B · all 500-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N326JR · no longer on the register · serial 3058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM THE RUNWAY AFTER HAVING ALREADY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 748 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8A1 Guntersville AL at 2:40 pm
- Destination: MYAF Andros Town OF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,360 ft by 95 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.