Cessna 150 accident near Marana, Arizona, September 20, 1987
On September 20, 1987 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N91AV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marana, Arizona (Aura Valley airport). It was an instructional 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1987 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · Aura Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N91AV · registry record · serial 15069265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING LANDING ROLL ON RWY 30. HE INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEG AT 9 KTS GUSTING TO 12 KTS. THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT DEPARTING THE RWY. THE NOSE GEAR SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE RWY.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER during landing - roll
- NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: none, none, none, none
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,446 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 1987; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: E14 Marana AZ at 10:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
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 LAX87LA344.