# NTSB OAK76AP017: Aero Comdr 500A, N9394R, Walnut Grove, CA, October 10, 1975

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 10, 1975
- Place: Walnut Grove, CA · WALNUT GROVE, CA
- Location: 38.2543° N, 121.5358° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Walnut Grove, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2543&lon=-121.5358&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 6 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 24, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 151343
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK76AP017
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK76AP017

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4061  75/10/10 NR.WALNUT GROVE,CA    AERO COMDR 500A     CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 41, UNK/NR
        TIME - 1123                    N9394R              PX-  5  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION         LAST ENROUTE STOP
          STOCKTON,CA                 KLAMATH FALLS,OR             SACRAMENTO,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
           PILOT IN COMMAND - EXCEEDED DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, IN PERSON
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  1500
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                            RAIN, THUNDERSTORM
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      65
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- IN FLT STRUCTURAL FAILURE.ACFT CRASHED INVERTED IN WATER. VFR FLT NOT RECOMMENDED BY FSS.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9394R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9394R-1977-10-06), registration cancelled 1977-10-06, S/N 500-913-21 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERO COMDR 500A
- Registry model: [Aero Commander 500-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-500-a) (registry code 0141104) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19751010042679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19751010042679A), Oct 10, 1975: Rkwell 500A, Walnut Grove, CA, Destroyed, 5 fatal. In flt structural failure. Acft crashed inverted in water. VFR flt not recommended by fss.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.