Aero Commander A-9B accident near Wood, South Dakota, April 24, 1987
On April 24, 1987 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Aero Commander A-9B, registered N2755V, was destroyed in an accident near Wood, South Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 24, 1987 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wood, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander A-9B
- Registration
- N2755V · no longer on the register · serial 1500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIAL AG PLT WAS WORKING A FIELD WITH 2-4-D AND HAD BEEN SPRAYING FOR 15 MINUTES. ON A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION AT THE END OF A PASS, THE PLT STARTED A 45 DEGREE BANK PULL UP AND ADDED FULL THROTTLE. THE ENGINE THEN HAD A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND BEGAN TO LOSE RPM. THE ACFT STALLED AND FELL RIGHT WING FIRST, 200 FEET TO THE GROUND. THE ENGINE, RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED AND THE FUSELAGE CAME TO REST 50 FEET FROM THE IMPACT POINT. AN IMMEDIATE POST ACCIDENT FIRE DESTROYED MOST OF THE WRECKAGE.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,697 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 2,809 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,211 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.