Aero Commander 500A accident near White Mills, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1993
On December 16, 1993 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500A, registered N9379R, was destroyed in an accident near White Mills, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the fracture and separation of the airplane wing, and the subsequent loss of control and collision with trees, as a result of the pilot's repeated performance of acrobatic maneuvers, which exceeded the design limits of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1993 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- White Mills, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500A · all 500As on the register
- Registration
- N9379R · no longer on the register · serial 500-A-897-6
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES IN A ROLLING MANEUVER, FOLLOWED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE LEFT WING AND COLLISION WITH TREES. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD PREFORMED ACROBATICS IN THIS AIRPLANE ON OTHER OCCASIONS. THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL PROHIBITS INTENTIONAL ACROBATICS. NO EVIDENCE OF CORROSION OR FATIGUE IN THE WING SPAR OR SUPPORT STRUCTURES WAS OBSERVED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 585 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,250 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N30 Honesdale PA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: N30
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:00 pm from AVP, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.