Cessna 150M accident near Buckeye, Arizona, February 6, 1991
On February 6, 1991 at about 5:31 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9433U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THAT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FAILED TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE WINGS BY NOT RECONNECTING THE BOLTS AT THE BELLCRANK AND PERFORMED AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1991 · about 5:31 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9433U · no longer on the register · serial 1507838
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI AND NONCERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED GOODYEAR, AZ, ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. WHILE PRACTICING GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A LOSS OF AILERON CONTROL. THE CFI EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO A DRYWASH. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT ONE OF THE AILERON CABLES DISCONNECTED FROM THE BELLCRANK. THE CONNECTING NUT AND BOLT WAS NOT LOCATED. ANOTHER BOLT, ALTHOUGH ATTACHED TO THE BELLCRANK, DID NOT CONTAIN A CORRESPONDING NUT. BOTH WINGS WERE REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 22 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ABOUT 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE SAME MECHANIC PERFORMED THE REINSTALLATION OF BOTH WINGS AND THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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: 1,200 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,085 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,727 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1990; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Action Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.