Aero Commander 500B accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania, November 20, 1983
On November 20, 1983 at about 11:19 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500B, registered N6226X, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. 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
- November 20, 1983 · about 11:19 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500B · all 500Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6226X · no longer on the register · serial 500A-1098-52
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING YOUNGSTOWN, OH, THE PLT FILED 2 IFR FLT PLANS, 1 FOR A FLT TO PLATTSBURGH, NY, THE OTHER FOR A RETURN FLT FROM PLATTSBURGH BACK TO YOUNGSTOWN. AFTER A 2 HR & 10 MIN FLT TO PLATTSBURGH, 70 GAL OF FUEL WAS ADDED, BUT THE PERSON WHO SERVICED THE ACFT INDICATED THE TANKS WERE NOT FULL AFTER SERVICING. THE PLANE THEN MADE A 10 MIN FLT TO BURLINGTON, VT, BUT NO FUEL WAS ADDED AT BURLINGTON,,THE PLT THEN TOOK OFF ON A RETURN FLT TO YOUNGSTOWN. DURING THE DESCENT PHASE TO YOUNGSTOWN, THE PLT REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST ARPT. HE WAS PROVIDE VECTORS TO THE CHESS-LAMBERTON ARPT & ADVISED IT WAS 6 MI AWAY. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE PLT SAID THE ACFT HAD LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY,IT CRASHED IN ROLLING, WOODED TERRAIN. DURING AN EXAM, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTIONOR FAILURE WAS FOUND. WITH THE PASSENGER & CARGO LOAD, A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT 104 GAL OF FUEL COULD HAVE BEEN USED WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE CERTIFICATED GROSS WT OF THE ACFT. AT 45 TO 55% POWER, THE ACFT BURNED 17 TO 22 GAL PER HR. WND GSTS 30 KT
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,527 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 1,282 as pilot in command; 164 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,421 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT
- Destination: YNG Youngstown OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from FKL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.