Aero Commander CALAIR A-9B accident near Cloverdale, Ohio, July 2, 1996
On July 2, 1996, a Aero Commander CALAIR A-9B, registered N7730V, was destroyed in an accident near Cloverdale, Ohio. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Powerplant failure due to undetermined reasons. Contributing to the severity of the crash was the unsuitable terrain in which the aircraft landed and post-crash fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1996
- Place
- Cloverdale, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CALAIR A-9B CALAIR A-9
- Registration
- N7730V · no longer on the register · serial 1481
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while spraying a corn field with agriculture products he began climbing to clear some trees and noticed that the fuel pressure light was on. He switched on the boost pump and switched fuel tanks however, the engine quit. The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed between two trees and subsequently burned.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1995; 187 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Continental OH at 11:30 am
- Destination: OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.