Aero Commander 500-B accident near Missing, May 2, 1996
On May 2, 1996 at about 4:00 am local time, a Aero Commander 500-B, registered N50GV, was destroyed in an accident near Missing. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1996 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Missing
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500-B · all 500-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N50GV · registry record · serial 1308-120
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a VFR flight behind another company airplane. About 5 minutes after takeoff, the pilot informed the pilot in the lead airplane that he was having a generator problem, and that he would monitor them. The lead airplane landed at a different airport, and waited for the other pilot to join him after dropping off his passengers at another airport. The pilot did not arrive at either airport. All shipping vessels along the airplane's expected course were requested to report any sightings. No contact was reported and the search was terminated. Aircraft damage and injuries are presumed.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: STX St. Croix at 12:21 pm
- Destination: TDCF Dominica OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from TIS, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.