# NTSB WPR23LA335: Cessna 150M, N9328U, Marble Canyon, AZ, September 4, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 4, 2023, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Marble Canyon, AZ · Marble Canyon Airport
- Coordinates: 36.810806, -111.64444
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8108&lon=-111.6444&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193012
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA335
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193012/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193012
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA335

## Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of airplane control after an encounter with windshear during takeoff which resulted in collision with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: windshear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 90 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150M, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2071830), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Analysis

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.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9328U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9328U), registered now, S/N 15078277, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M
- Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15078277
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 4614.5
- Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 20, 2023, 49 hours before
- Departed: Noki, San Juan, UT
- Destination: L41, Marble Canyon, AZ
- Airport: L41, Marble Canyon, runway 21, 3,715 × 35 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 30, 2022; seat: right; restraint: none; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,032 total, 194 in this make and model, 882 as pilot in command, 237 in the last 90 days, 108 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 17; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 7, 2023; seat: left; restraint: none; flight hours: 80 total, 7 in this make and model, 46 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: KPGA, 11 nm away
- METAR: KPGA 041753Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM FEW075 26/11 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP081 T02610106 10272 20206 50002

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20230904013649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230904013649A), Sep 4, 2023: Cessna 150M, Marble Canyon, AZ, Substantial damage. On September 4, 2023, about 10:50 mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 150M, impacted the terrain during an attempted visual flight rules (VFR) takeoff from…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193012. 2.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16327818&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_WPR23LA335%20Marble%20Canyon,%20AZ%20N9328U_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 382 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16327764&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA335%20Picture-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.