Aero Commander CallAir accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, June 26, 2010
On June 26, 2010 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander CallAir, registered N7700V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Salt Lake City, Utah (South Valley Regional Airport). It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in a stall/spin to the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2010 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · South Valley Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CallAir A-9B
- Registration
- N7700V · no longer on the register · serial 1425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Company personnel reported that the pilot had been towing banners for 3 months and had just recently switched to the accident airplane, which had better performance during the summer months. The pilot had accumulated approximately 10 hours in the accident airplane. The ground crewman reported that the 280-foot banner was aligned on the ground for the pilot to pick up while flying directly into the wind. The ground crewman said the pilot missed his first two pickup attempts, but was successful on the third attempt, and the pickup appeared normal. As the airplane climbed to about 200 feet and started a left crosswind turn, the crewman radioed to the pilot that he appeared slow. A moment later, the pilot released the banner, but the airplane’s nose and left wing dropped. The airplane descended and impacted the ground in a nearly vertical attitude. Postimpact fire consumed the airplane. Post accident inspection of the engine and airframe found no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aerial Ads LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 10:40 pm
- Destination: U42 Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from SLC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.