Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B accident near Zebulon, North Carolina, June 1, 2024
On June 1, 2024 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 1968 Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B, registered N7650V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Zebulon, North Carolina (Crooked Creek airport). It was a glider-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power while maneuvering due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2024 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Zebulon, North Carolina · Crooked Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B, built 1968 · all CALLAIR A-9Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7650V · registry record · serial 1378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he departed on the glider tow flight with the airplane’s left fuel tank completely full, and between “1/4 and 1/2 a tank” in the right fuel tank, which was selected for the flight. The pilot successfully released the glider at 3,000 ft msl and entered a left, spiraling descent. At 2,800 feet, “the engine shut down (due to fuel). This has happened previously when the bank angle is steep enough and the tank low enough that the fuel does not reach the fuel pickup.” The pilot leveled the wings, but engine power did not resume. The airplane lacked the glide performance to return to the departure runway, or the pilot’s selected forced landing site. The pilot did not remember the accident landing which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage and both wings. The airplane’s fuel system was compromised and its postaccident fuel state could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 526 on instruments
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,483 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 9, 2024; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A-5 (piston); 1,302 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,500 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from LHZ, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLHZ 012105Z AUTO 12003KT 10SM CLR 26/10 A3019 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Memorandum for Record | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA240.