Aero Commander 690 and Burkhart Grob 102 mid-air collision near Truckee, California, September 20, 1996
On September 20, 1996 at about 10:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Aero Commander 690 (N840DC) and Burkhart Grob 102 (N22ZB), were involved in a mid-air collision near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe Airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate visual lookout by both pilots while in the vicinity of the airport. A factor was that each aircraft was on a different frequency at the time.
The inadequate visual outlook by both pilots while in the vicinity of the airport. A factor was that each aircraft was on a different frequency at the time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1996 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe Airport
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Aero Commander 690 · all 690s on the register
- Registration
- N840DC · registry record · serial 11661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Burkhart Grob 102
- Registration
- N22ZB · registry record · serial 1309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Aero Commander 690 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Aero Commander 690, N840DC, collided with the Grob 102 glider, N22ZB, while climbing through 10,000 feet msl 4 miles south of the airport. The Aero Commander pilot had announced his departure on runway 28 on the unicom frequency of 122.8 Mhz while taxiing. After departing, the pilot turned left and was heading southeast in a climb. The glider had departed the airport about 1 hour earlier via aero tow and was orbiting left in a thermal. The glider pilot was monitoring the frequency 123.3 Mhz, an air-to-air frequency used by glider pilots. Moments before the collision, the Aero Commander pilot was tuning a navigation radio. He looked up and saw the glider in his windshield, but was unable to avoid the collision. The glider pilot never saw the Aero Commander. The left wing of the Aero Commander struck the left wing and fuselage of the glider about 9,800 feet msl. Both pilots were able to safely land their airplanes at the Truckee Airport after the collision.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Burkhart Grob 102 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Aero Commander 690, N840DC, collided with the Grob 102 glider, N22ZB, while climbing through 10,000 feet msl 4 miles south of the airport. The Aero Commander pilot had announced his departure on runway 28 on the unicom frequency of 122.8 Mhz while taxiing. After departing, the pilot turned left and was heading southeast in a climb. The glider had departed the airport about 1 hour earlier via aero tow and was orbiting left in a thermal. The glider pilot was monitoring the frequency 123.3 Mhz, an air-to-air frequency used by glider pilots. Moments before the collision, the Aero Commander pilot was tuning a navigation radio. He looked up and saw the glider in his windshield, but was unable to avoid the collision. The glider pilot never saw the Aero Commander. The left wing of the Aero Commander struck the left wing and fuselage of the glider about 9,800 feet msl. Both pilots were able to safely land their airplanes at the Truckee Airport after the collision.
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 for the Aero Commander 690 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,697 hours in all; 4,112 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 9,697 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,687 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 19, 1996; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,375 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: MMH Mammoth Lakes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TRK, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Burkhart Grob 102 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 836 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.