Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9A accident near Fremont, California, April 30, 1985
On April 30, 1985 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9A, registered N7713V, was destroyed in an accident near Fremont, California (Sky Sailing airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 30, 1985 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fremont, California · Sky Sailing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9A CALLAIR A-
- Registration
- N7713V · no longer on the register · serial 1465
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS TO TOW A GLIDER ALOFT TO A LAUNCH POINT. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT MAKE A GO AROUND FORM SHORT FINAL AS A PEDESTRIAN WALKED ACROSS THE RUNWAY APPROACH END, AND THEN EXTEND A NON-STANDARD LEFT DOWNWIND PATTERN TO ALLOW SPACE FOR A GLIDER ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND TO LAND. AFTER THE ACFT TURNED FINAL, THE WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY 'PITCH 60 TO 75 DEGREES NOSE DOWN' AND ALMOST REGAINED A LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE AT GROUND IMPACT 2,300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. TESTS OF THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR REVEALED THAT IT READ 13 MPH FAST AT THE ACFT'S POWER OFF STALL SPEED.
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; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,570 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 5,368 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 1985; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8Q7 Fremont CA at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 1,840 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SJC, 8 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.