Cessna 207A accident near Valle, Arizona, September 23, 2000
On September 23, 2000 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N9439M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valle, Arizona. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper maintenance and adjustment of the engine magnetos resulting in a loss of optimum performance during a critical takeoff that required peak engine performance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2000 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Valle, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N9439M · no longer on the register · serial 20700690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was departing about 50 pounds under gross weight. The paved 8,999-foot runway is located at 6,606 feet msl. The winds were down the runway about 20 to 25 knots, with the temperature about 50 degrees, and the density altitude about 8,100 feet msl. About 3/4 down the runway's length the pilot aborted the takeoff. He taxied back to the terminal and off loaded a passenger, who he estimated to be about 300 pounds. He now estimated the airplane to be about 350 pounds below the gross weight limit. The pilot was again cleared for takeoff. He started his takeoff with the mixture full rich, and then gradually leaned the mixture to about 20 gallons per hour. He said the acceleration felt slow, but normal for a loaded airplane. After becoming airborne, about 100 feet agl, the airplane's climb performance seemed to be getting worse, and it was too late to abort. The control tower advised a 15-degree right turn towards lower terrain, which the pilot performed clearing tree tops about 50 feet. He reported that all preflight and in-flight checks were normal. He performed additional in-flight checks of the engine systems, including simultaneous use of the fuel boost pumps, with no increase in performance. About 10 minutes into the flight, the airplane was still 50 to 100 feet above treetops and approaching high-tension power lines without enough altitude to clear them. The pilot started to look for a landing site. Subsequently the airplane collided with trees about 14 miles from the departure point. Examination of the magnetos by the manufacturer revealed numerous discrepancies affecting the optimum performance of the engine.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 858 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 254 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 789 as pilot in command; 530 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,427 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2000; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GCN Grand Canyon AZ at 9:50 pm
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from GCN, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.