Aero Commander 100-180 accident near John Day, Oregon, August 24, 1988
On August 24, 1988, a Aero Commander 100-180, registered N4175X, was destroyed in an accident near John Day, Oregon. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- August 24, 1988
- Place
- John Day, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100-180 · all 100-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4175X · no longer on the register · serial 5029
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ELK SPOTTING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A NOSE LOW TURN SIMILAR TO THE INTERMEDIATE STAGES OF A STALL. A SEVERE POST IMPACT FIRE ERUPTED. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,100 FEET. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND TO BE EXCESSIVELY WORN AND FIRED INTERMITTENTLY DURING TESTING. TWO OF THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND TO BE LEAD FOULED. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION AND TREE LIMBS, APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER, WERE FOUND WITH SMOOTH SLASHES DIAGONALLY THROUGH THEM.
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: 450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: U33 John Day OR at 11:46 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:46 pm from U33, 16 miles away
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.