North American AT-6 accident near Norman, Oklahoma, March 6, 1983
On March 6, 1983 at about 7:15 pm local time, a North American AT-6, registered N9786Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norman, Oklahoma (Max Westheimer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- March 6, 1983 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Norman, Oklahoma · Max Westheimer
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6 · all AT-6s on the register
- Registration
- N9786Z · no longer on the register · serial 2927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT LANDED WITH A 30 DEG LEFT CROSSWIND.AFTER TOUCHING DOWN IN A 3-POINT ATTITUDE, THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT & TURNED APRX 25 DEG BEFORE THE PLT REGAINED CONTROL. HE CORRECTED THE HEADING TO PARALLEL THE RUNWAY APRX 10 FT RIGHT OF A WHITE LINE MARKING THE EDGE OF THE MAINTAINED RUNWAY, THE ACFT STRUCK A SAWHORSE SURFACE. AS THE PLT INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARD THE OPEN PORTION OF THE RUNWAY, THE ACFT STRUCK A SAWHORSE MARKING AN AREA OF DETERIORATING ASPHALT. NO MECHANICAL MANFUNCTION WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,755 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 10,756 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,066 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 28, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F16 Denton TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.