Piper PA-28-180 accident near Payson, Arizona, September 10, 2000
On September 10, 2000 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4208T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Payson, Arizona (Payson 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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll due to over-rotation, inadequate airspeed, and improper remedial action under the high density altitude condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2000 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Payson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4208T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
With three passengers and 30 gallons of fuel in the tanks, the pilot commenced the takeoff roll on a 5,500-foot-long runway, elevation 5,157 feet mean sea level. The density altitude was about 7,650 feet. As the airplane accelerated, it veered left and right, the nose pitched up, and the tail tie down ring scraped on the runway. Directional control was lost, and the airplane overran runway lights and came to rest upon colliding with a tree. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions were experienced with his airplane during the flight. The pilot's total flying experience was 75.3 hours. He was issued a pilot certificate 17 days prior to the mishap.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 75 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,096 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2000; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E69
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 183°F (84°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from E69
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.