Aero Commander 500S accident near Elko, Nevada, August 21, 2001
On August 21, 2001 at about 10:03 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500S, registered N975AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elko, Nevada (Elko Regional airport). It was flown under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The main landing gear collapsed for undetemined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2001 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada · Elko Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500S · all 500Ss on the register
- Registration
- N975AA · registry record · serial 3175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Both main landing gear collapsed about 100 feet down the runway on the landing roll. The skid ground off the belly skin and damaged several structural airframe components. One of the observers in the airplane was also a pilot. He observed three green landing gear lights, and he and the pilot both visually checked that the landing gear was down. He observed the pilot maintain one hand on the control yoke and the other on the throttle throughout the landing and landing roll. A physical check of the gear revealed no anomalies and the gear functioned normally when placed on jacks. The actuators functioned properly when checked on a test bench. The Aero Commander uses hydraulic pressure to keep the gear locked, and the landing gear handle has two positions, gear up and gear down.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,810 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,990 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 2001; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKO Elko NV at 8:30 pm
- Runway 23, 7,214 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from EKO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.