Aero Commander 500 accident near Dixon, California, January 18, 1983
On January 18, 1983 at about 2:25 am local time, a Aero Commander 500, registered N6239B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dixon, California (Travis Afb airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 18, 1983 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Dixon, California · Travis Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N6239B · registry record · serial 500-649-11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT WAS ON AN AIR TAXI CARGO FLT, OPERATED BY AIR EXPRESS, HAYWARD, CA. THE ACFT REPORTEDLY DEPARTED RENO, NV WITHOUT A FLT PLAN FOR A FLT TO SACRAMENTO & HAYWARD, CAL. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ACFT HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TURNED OFF ALL UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & WHEN HE WAS APPROACHING TRAVIS AFB, HE TURNED ON 1 RADIO & REQUESTED A PART APPROACHTO LAND. HOWEVER, WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS, HE LOST RADIO CONTACT & ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. DURING THE LANDING, A WING OF THE ACFT HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. THE WX AT TRAVIS WAS 400 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 1 3/4 MI WITH FOG. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT GENERATOR ARMATURE LEAD HAD BEEN REMOVED & WAS INSULATED FROM ELECTRICAL CONTACT. THE LEFT GENERATOR ARMATURE LEAD HAD BROKEN LOOSE & THE BATTERY HAD BECOME DISCHARGED. THE OPERATOR DID NOT SUBMIT AN ACCIDENT REPORT, SO THE TYPE OF OPERATION IS PRESUMED.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Naike Hyles Air Express
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21L, 11,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 am from SUU, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.