Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B accident near Harlingen, Texas, July 3, 1992
On July 3, 1992 at about 11:50 am local time, a Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B, registered N7616V, was destroyed in an accident near Harlingen, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
AN INFLIGHT FIRE DUE TO A LOOSE FUEL FITTING AND FUEL LINE DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1992 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Harlingen, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B CALLAIR A- · all CALLAIR A-9Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7616V · no longer on the register · serial 1344
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AGRICULTURE SPRAYING FLIGHT THE FLAG MAN NOTICED THE AIRPLANE ON FIRE. USING HIS RADIO HE NOTIFIED THE PILOT OF THE SITUATION. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN AREA ADJACENT TO A ROAD. DURING THE LANDING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED. FOLLOWING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A FUEL LINE HAD COME LOOSE DUE TO IT NOT BEING CORRECTLY INSTALLED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 575 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,888 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1992; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-GIC5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Texas Dusting Services, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: XS63 Rio Hondo TX at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.