Aero Commander 500S accident near Sacramento, California, August 12, 1982
On August 12, 1982 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500S, registered N9031N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- August 12, 1982 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500S · all 500Ss on the register
- Registration
- N9031N · no longer on the register · serial 1867-43
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PAX/PLT IN RIGHT SEAT INADVERTENTLY RAISED GEAR INSTEAD OF FLAPS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,153 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 2,896 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,298 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E-1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 3:25 pm
- Destination: C Vannuys CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 3,954 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from SAC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.