Aero Commander 685 accident near Eden, Wisconsin, October 19, 1996
On October 19, 1996 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander 685, registered N58RG, was destroyed in an accident near Eden, Wisconsin (Northridge Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a partial loss of engine power due to improper adjustment of the fuel pump by an unqualified person (pilot-in-command) and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in his selection of unsuitable terrain for the attempted takeoff. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane and the trees were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1996 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eden, Wisconsin · Northridge Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 685 · all 685s on the register
- Registration
- N58RG · registry record · serial 12047
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to takeoff from a private turf airstrip (1400'x 90'), the pilot adjusted the left engine's fuel pump. On takeoff roll the left engine began surging. The pilot continued the takeoff. The pilot lifted off at approximately 1000' and pulled back on the yoke to get over the trees on the left side of the airstrip. The airplane drifted to the left. The pilot said he stalled the airplane and should have pushed the yoke forward to gain airspeed. The Pilot Operating Handbook indicted a takeoff roll of approximately 2,500 feet was needed on a dry paved surface.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 993 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 941 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 1,400 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from MSN, 71 miles away
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.
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.