Callair A-9B accident near Winear, Idaho, May 23, 1983
On May 23, 1983 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Callair A-9B, registered N7778V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winear, Idaho. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 23, 1983 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winear, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Callair A-9B · all A-9Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7778V · no longer on the register · serial 1531
- 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 COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION PASS & WHEN THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS & TURNED ON FUEL BOOSTER. THE ENGINE QUIT AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 3 1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL PER TANK. THE OPERATORS MANUAL STATES THAT THE LAST 3 1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL MAY NOT BE USEABLE DURING STEEP TURNS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 657 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command; 61 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 6, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-01C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U10 Preston ID at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Winear ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from BYI, 72 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.