Fairchild 24W-46 accident near Marana, Arizona, March 3, 2002
On March 3, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Fairchild 24W-46, registered N77618, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marana, Arizona (Marana Northwest Regional Airp airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The left brake failed due to a stuck piston.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · Marana Northwest Regional Airp · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild 24W-46 · all 24W-46s on the register
- Registration
- N77618 · registry record · serial W46318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the landing rollout the left brake hung up, and the airplane came to rest inverted off of the runway. During an examination of the brakes it was found that the left brake piston would not release the disc when manually pushed in. No further mechanical anomalies were noted with the brake system.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,959 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,819 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2001; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,562 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner SS-165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGZ Casa Grande AZ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: AVQ Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,901 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point -6°F (-21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from TUS, 12 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N77618 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Fairchild 24 242 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Fairchild 616 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Warner SS-165 114 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Marana Regional · nearest airport
- Casa Grande Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,435 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX02LA099.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.