Cessna 150M accident near Marble Canyon, Arizona, September 4, 2023
On September 4, 2023 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 150M, registered N9328U, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Marble Canyon, Arizona (Marble Canyon airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control after an encounter with windshear during takeoff which resulted in collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2023 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marble Canyon, Arizona · Marble Canyon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M, built 1976 · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9328U · registry record · serial 15078277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while departing, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 20 feet above the ground. The airspeed began decreasing, and the airplane started descending. The pilot pitched down as the stall warning sounded. The airplane impacted the terrain, collapsing the nose wheel and substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot stated the airplane had encountered windshear and that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff defining event
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,032 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 237 in the last 90 days; 108 in the last 30 days; 882 as pilot in command; 240 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 7, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,614.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 2023; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 506 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Noki San Juan UT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: L41 Marble Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,715 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KPGA, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPGA 041753Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM FEW075 26/11 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP081 T02610106 10272 20206 50002
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 WPR23LA335.