Rockwell A-9B accident near Marana, Arizona, April 9, 1983
On April 9, 1983 at about 2:20 am local time, a Rockwell A-9B, registered N7909V, was destroyed in an accident near Marana, Arizona (Aura Valley airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 9, 1983 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · Aura Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell A-9B
- Registration
- N7909V · no longer on the register · serial 1557
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A FLT FROM QUANAH, TX TO CHANDLER, AZ TO DELIVER THE ACFT FOR A SALE. HE HAD BEEN ON THE FERRY FLT FOR 6 HRS WHEN HE LANDED AT MARANA, AZ. AFTER REFUELING, RAISING THE ENG COWL, INSPECTING THE ENG & WIPING OFF AN ACCUMULATION OF OIL, HE TOOK OFF. DURING THE CLIMB, WITHIN 1 MI OF THE ARPT, THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE COWL WAS LOOSE & WAS FLAPPING. IT WAS TWILIGHT & RWY 30 WAS UNLIGHTED, SO THE PLT COMMENCED A LOW, SLOW TURN TOWARD RWY 3. WHILE MANEUVERING, THE ACFT'S LEFT WING IMPACTED LEVEL TERRAIN ON ARPT PROPERTY & THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. DURING A POST-ACCIDENT INTERVIEW, THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, HE WAS TIRED & JUST 'GOOFED IT UP.'
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 2,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1982; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,475 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G-1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PIO Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.