Aero Commander 500 accident near Cordoba, Colombia, CO, December 3, 2008
On December 3, 2008 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500, registered HK1697, was destroyed in an accident near Cordoba, Colombia. It was a personal flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed. 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
- December 3, 2008 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Cordoba, Colombia, Colombia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- HK1697 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 03, 2008 about 1835 eastern standard time, an Aero Commander 500, of Colombian registration, HK1697, registered to an individual and operated by Taxi Aero Caribeno LTDA, crashed in an open field, near Cordoba, Colombia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight plan was filed. The pilot and the copilot were killed, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from the Olaya Herrera International Airport (SKMD), Medellin, Colombia, earlier that day, at an unspecified time. The flight destination was to Los Garzones Airport (SKMR), Monteria, Colombia. According to information obtained from the Colombian Civil Aeronautical Authorities, the air traffic controller at Barranquilla authorized the flight, once at the intersection of IRETO, at an estimate time of 1830 to 1840, to descend to 5,000 feet and to report at 15 miles from the MTR VOR. The crew never communicated with the Barranquilla controllers for the position report. A search and rescue operation was launched. A military aircraft spotted an unusual heat source in an open field. The local police investigated the source and discovered the missing airplane. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Colombia. Any further information can be obtained from: Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aeronautica Civil Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado Bogota, Colombia Telephone: 571.425.1000 This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by the Government of Colombia.
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
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Taxi Aero Caribeno Ltda
The flight
- Departed from: SKMD Medellin
- Destination: SKMR Monteria
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from SKRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.