Aero Commander 100 accident near Palm Springs, California, September 20, 1983
On September 20, 1983 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N3636X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Springs, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- September 20, 1983 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N3636X · registry record · serial 336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX. HE WAS AN INSTRUMENT PLT, BUT HAD CHOSEN NOT TO FILE & FLY UNDER IFR DUE TO TERRAIN, WX, LOW PERFORMANCE OF THE ACFT & LACK OF PITOT HEAT. THE PLT NOTED A CEILING AT 5500 FT MSL WHEN HE CROSSED BANNING PASS. HE SAW DARK CLOUDS & HEAVY RAIN IN THE PALM SPRINGS & BERMUDA DUNES AREA. THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF DESERT HOT SPRINGS WERE COVERED WITH CLOUDS, SO HE TRIED TO GET THRU YUCCA VALLEY WHERE THE WX LOOKED BETTER. HOWEVER, LOW CEILINGS & RAIN WERE ENCOUNTERED, SO THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO RIVERSIDE, CA. HE SOON ENCOUNTERED 'A FAST WESTERLY MOVING MASS OF CLOUDS THAT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND.' DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE STORM, HE WAS FORCED TO LAND QUICKLY & ELECTED TO LAND DOWNWIND ON A ROAD. HOWEVER, OVERFLEW THE ROAD & LANDED IN A ROCKY WASH AREA, EXTENSIVELY DAMAGING THE ACFT.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 1,651 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,011 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1983; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAL Riverside CA
- Destination: P20 Parker AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from ONT, 12 miles away
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.