Piper PA60 accident near Sedona, Arizona, September 20, 2019
On September 20, 2019 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA60, registered N700NJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2019 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA60 601P, built 1979 · all PA60s on the register
- Registration
- N700NJ · no longer on the register · serial 61P06187963279
- 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 on approach to land, he felt that the airplane was a little slow and below the glidepath. He corrected by adding power and reestablishing on the visual approach slope indicator glidepath and continued the landing. However, when the airplane reached the approach end of the runway, it aerodynamically stalled. He lowered the nose, and the airplane landed about 15 ft short of the runway threshold runway. The airplane bounced onto the runway, veered right, and exited the runway onto the adjacent field, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 14, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,981.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2019
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-U2A (piston); 983 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-U2A (piston); 1,014 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVI Watsonville CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from KSEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 21, 2019. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Phone Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.