Beech A-36 accident near Florence, Arizona, November 15, 1993
On November 15, 1993 at about 2:50 am local time, a Beech A-36, registered N9MP, was destroyed in an accident near Florence, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's poor inflight planning and decision making by continuing the flight into adverse weather conditions. Factors contributing to this accident were: not obtaining a preflight weather briefing, not following the airplane flight manuals, and exceeding the weight and balance limits of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1993 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Florence, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N9MP · registry record · serial EA-116
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot did not receive a weather briefing prior to departing. An airman's meteorological information advisory (AIRMET) was issued for the pilot's route of flight. The AIRMET forecasted occasional moderate mixed icing along the flight between 6,000 feet msl and 17,000 feet msl. The pilot requested and received an IFR clearance to Tucson, Arizona, at an altitude of 11,000 feet. The pilot reported that the airplane was picking up ice, and he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot later reported that the engine had quit, and rudder control was lost. The manufacturer's pilot operating manual specifically prohibits 'flight into icing conditions.' Postaccident data determined the airplane was almost 500 pounds over gross weight at takeoff with the center of gravity 2.0 inches aft of the limit. Examination of the pilot's logbooks revealed that he was not instrument current under FAR 61.57 (e). Postaccident tests revealed that the engine ran at full operating RPM during tests at the engine manufacturer.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,634 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1993; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 36U Heber UT at 11:30 pm
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:50 am from TUS, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 6 |
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 LAX94LA045.