Aero Commander 500 B accident near The Dalles, Oregon, August 19, 2015
On August 19, 2015 at about 10:07 pm local time, a 1964 Aero Commander 500 B, registered N1010F, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near The Dalles, Oregon (Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles airport). It was a firefighting flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A motor vehicle's runway incursion causing the premature rotation of the departing airplane, which resulted in a tail strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2015 · about 10:07 pm local time
- Place
- The Dalles, Oregon · Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500 B B, built 1964 · all 500 Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1010F · registry record · serial 1403-145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, a vehicle entered the runway and he immediately pulled back on the yoke in order to climb and avoid the vehicle. The pilot reported that as the airplane began to rotate, he simultaneously retracted the landing gear, and he felt a "bump" before the airplane lifted off of the runway. The airplane ascended over the incursion vehicle and the pilot avoided a collision. The pilot reported that during the post-flight inspection he checked the landing gear to inspect for damage and he did not find any deficiencies. However, during a subsequent preflight inspection by another crew, it was noticed that the lower aft fuselage was damaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the bottom aft fuselage longerons and stringers. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal operation.
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
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during takeoff defining event
- Abrupt maneuver during takeoff
- Tailstrike during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,210 hours in all; 611 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 6,934 as pilot in command; 1,053 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,552.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 2015; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 7,498 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 4,859 hours total
- Operator: Vanarsdale Air Service LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DLS The Dalles OR at 10:07 pm
- Destination: DLS The Dalles OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,097 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KDLS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.