Piper PA 30 accident near Goodyear, Arizona, June 23, 2018
On June 23, 2018 at about 3:14 am local time, a 1963 Piper PA 30, registered N7072Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Goodyear, Arizona (Phoenix Goodyear airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2018 · about 3:14 am local time
- Place
- Goodyear, Arizona · Phoenix Goodyear · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 30 NO SERIES, built 1963 · all PA 30s on the register
- Registration
- N7072Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-85
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, while landing at night, the pilot receiving instruction allowed the twin-engine airplane to drift left of the centerline at touchdown. The pilot then overcorrected with right rudder, the airplane veered to the right, and the pilot then locked the brakes. The airplane continued to veer right and exited the runway. The flight instructor added that he did not ask for the flight controls but that he did ask the pilot to release the brakes; however, the pilot did not do so. After exiting the runway, the flight instructor had only right rudder and nosewheel steering and "fishtailed" the airplane further to the right before the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 230° at 9 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 21.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 8,505 as pilot in command; 7,533 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 24, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Buckeye Flight Experience, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ at 3:00 am
- Destination: VCV Victorville CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 am from KGYR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 4, 2018. 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 | Accident Picture | 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.