Rockwell A9B accident near Marianna, Florida, May 25, 1988
On May 25, 1988 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Rockwell A9B, registered N7787V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marianna, Florida. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- May 25, 1988 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Marianna, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell A9B
- Registration
- N7787V · no longer on the register · serial 1540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SUSTAINED A COMPLETE & SUDDEN POWER LOSS WHILE ENGAGED IN AG OPERATIONS AT LOW ALT. THE PROP, FWD PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT, CYL HEAD & OTHER ENG PARTS SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT STRUCK A ROW OF 40 FT TREES & CRASHED TO THE GRND. AN EXAM OF THE FAILED CRANKSHAFT REVEALED THAT IT HAD SEPARATED JUST FWD OF THE NO. 2 MAIN BEARING. LAB ANALYSIS REVEALED EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT STATED THE ENG HAD BEEN OVERHAULED IN THE PAST BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN OR BY WHOM. ENG LOGBOOK ENTRIES DID NOT REFLECT ANY ENG OVERHAUL.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Panhandle Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 am from TLH, 52 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.
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.