Aero Commander 500S accident near Millington, Tennessee, December 11, 1994
On December 11, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500S, registered N9171N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Millington, Tennessee (Charles W. Baker airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT, IN THAT HE DID NOT ENSURE THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- Millington, Tennessee · Charles W. Baker · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500S · all 500Ss on the register
- Registration
- N9171N · registry record · serial 3119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TO FLY THE AIRPLANE TO ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR A PERIODIC SPAR INSPECTION, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE DRAINING THE FUEL TANKS. HE ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE 70 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL TANKS, A VISUAL INSPECTION WAS NOT POSSIBLE. DURING THE APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT, FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED IN A FLOOD PLAIN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 695 hours in all; 120 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 25M Ripley MS at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 2M8 TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9171N on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander 500 163 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Charles W Baker Airport · nearest airport
- Ripley Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,196 since 1982 · 229 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,524 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL95LA027.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.