Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B accident near El Indio, Texas, June 23, 1997
On June 23, 1997 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B, registered N7684V, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Indio, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight, subsequent fuel starvation, and failure of the pilot to reposition the fuel selector to another tank (perform emergency procedure) after the loss of engine power, which resulted in a forced landing and subseqent nose-over. Factors relating to the accident were: false fuel quantity indication, and the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1997 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- El Indio, 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
- N7684V · no longer on the register · serial 1432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was working on a boll weevil eradication contract and was in the habit of servicing the airplane (with fuel, oil, and applicant) at the end of each day. He reported that the day before the accident, he was distracted from his servicing process by the arrival of a customer and the news of a family problem. The pilot reported that the next morning, while preflighting the airplane, 'I checked the sumps but did not remove the fuel caps to visually check the fuel [quantity].' He departed for the first flight of the day with the fuel selector positioned to a nonserviced tank; its fuel quantity gage indicated that it was 'full.' While flying the first application swath, the engine lost power. The pilot 'saw the fuel pressure light come on and he turned on the boost pump, but he delayed switching fuel tanks because he thought he had full tanks on both sides and there was some other problem.' The pilot performed a forced landing to a muddy cotton field, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1996; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-SM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from MFE, 200 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW97LA232.