Piper PA 28-181 accident near Wickenburg, Arizona, May 24, 2015
On May 24, 2015 at about 5:05 pm local time, a 2001 Piper PA 28-181, registered N442PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Wickenburg, Arizona (Wickenburg Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot's failure to monitor the airplane's wing clearance during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2015 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wickenburg, Arizona · Wickenburg Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181 181, built 2001 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N442PA · registry record · serial 2843498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while taxiing in the ramp area after landing, he did not visually monitor the airplane's wing clearance and struck a parked airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,050.1 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 13, 2015; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A4M (piston); 12,248 hours total
- Operator: Transpac Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: E63 Gila Bend AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: E25 Wickenburg AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:58 pm from KLUF, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 10, 2015. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | 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.