Aero Commander 100 accident near Dekalb, Texas, July 4, 1982
On July 4, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N3780X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dekalb, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- July 4, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dekalb, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N3780X · no longer on the register · serial 273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST POWER DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A HIGHWAY. CONTROL WAS LOST AND AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED DOWNWIND. POST ACCIDENT CHECK SHOWED 125 MAG DROP ON BOTH MAGS AND A MAXIMUM STATIC OF 2350.
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: 131 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 62 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,258 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mt. Pleasant TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Mt. Pleasant TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from TXK, 30 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.