Cessna 150A accident near Coolidge, Arizona, January 5, 2026
On January 5, 2026, a 1961 Cessna 150A, registered N7235X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Coolidge, Arizona (Coolidge Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from transmission wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s partially obscured vision due to sun glare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2026
- Place
- Coolidge, Arizona · Coolidge Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150A, built 1961 · all 150As on the register
- Registration
- N7235X · registry record · serial 15059335
- 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 attempting to land into the setting sun he had difficulty seeing the runway and the area ahead due to reduced visibility. As he approached the runway, he became aware that his altitude was lower than it should have been. He simultaneously noticed an orange ball that marked the presence of transmission lines. The pilot attempted to recover by applying power to climb and avoid the wires. Despite this corrective action, the aircraft struck one of the transmission lines. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over, struck the ground and cartwheeled into a ditch which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage and wings. The pilot reported 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 landing defining event
- Loss of visual reference during approach
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,830 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 565 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 7,082 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 1,944 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,564 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from P08
Weather report (METAR): METAR KP08 050030Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 20/09 A2998 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Left Side of Airplane
Photograph 2 – Right Side of Airplane
Photograph 3 – Wires struck by AirplaneThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.