Aero Commander 100 accident near Rio Linda, California, September 14, 1986
On September 14, 1986 at about 1:22 am local time, a Aero Commander 100, registered N3879X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Linda, California. It was a personal flight 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 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 14, 1986 · about 1:22 am local time
- Place
- Rio Linda, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100 · all 100s on the register
- Registration
- N3879X · no longer on the register · serial 182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES NORTH OF RIO LINDA AIRPORT. THREE MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A RICE FIELD. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT DIRT, BROKE OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A 16TH INCH COPPER LINE BETWEEN THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAGE FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 302 hours in all; 295 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,816 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1986; 34 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: MYV Marysville CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: Q94 Marysville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.