Aviat Aircraft INC A-1A accident near Marfa, Texas, June 12, 2009
On June 12, 2009 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Aviat Aircraft INC A-1A, registered N391C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Marfa, Texas (Private airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control while landing in gusty winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2009 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Marfa, Texas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1A · all A-1As on the register
- Registration
- N391C · no longer on the register · serial 1467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was using his single-engine airplane to conduct an aerial survey of his ranch when he noted a trough that was overflowing. He elected to land at the nearby 1,100-foot-long dirt airstrip so that he could fix the water problem. During landing, the pilot encountered a gust of wind and the airplane bounced, traveling beyond the point where an aborted landing could be safely achieved due to a row of power lines. The pilot first applied brakes, which caused the tail to rise, but not enough to slow the airplane down to a full stop. He then applied full brakes, subsequently flipping the airplane over and resulting in damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer.
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 landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 715 hours in all; 580 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Fowlkes TX
- Destination: None Marfa TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.