Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9 accident near Lytton Springs, Texas, June 29, 1983
On June 29, 1983 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9, registered N7717V, was involved in an accident near Lytton Springs, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was 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
- June 29, 1983 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lytton Springs, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9 CALLAIR A- · all CALLAIR A-9s on the register
- Registration
- N7717V · registry record · serial 1469
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED DURING A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER WHILE CONDUCTING AN AERIAL APPLICATION MISSION. THE ACFT HAD COMPLETED ABOUT 3 SPRAYING PATTERNS AFTER RELOADING AND WAS TURNING STEEPLY TO LINE UP FOR ANOTHER PASS WHEN THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE ACFT DESCENDED IN ABOUT A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AT GROUND IMPACT THE LEFT WING WAS ALSO DOWN ABOUT 45 DEGREES. NO EVIDENCE OF PHYSICAL OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,459 as pilot in command; 328 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B25B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 50R Lockhart TX at 6:45 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°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.
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.