Aero Commander 600 S-2D accident near Walla Walla, Washington, December 11, 1989
On December 11, 1989 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Aero Commander 600 S-2D, registered N1767S, was destroyed in an accident near Walla Walla, Washington (Walla Walla airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENGINE LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EMBANKMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1989 · about 8:55 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Walla Walla, Washington · Walla Walla · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 600 S-2D · all 600 S-2Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1767S · registry record · serial 600-1367D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A FERRY FLIGHT TRANSPORTING FOR MAINTENANCE, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE LANDING STRIP, THE PILOT APPLIED POWER AS NECESSARRY FOR LANDING. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE AIRSTRIP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT. A POST CRASH FIRE IGNITED AND DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN OPERATED FOR SOMETIME AND WAS OVERDUE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8WA7 St. John WA at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1767S on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander 600 5 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R-1340 1,229 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Walla Walla Regional · nearest airport
- Mcguire Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,662 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA90LA029.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.