Beech F-33A accident near Mobile, Arizona, April 5, 2001
On April 5, 2001 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Beech F-33A, registered N5544P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mobile, Arizona (Mobile Lufthansa Pvt airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the dual student who failed to recognize the extent of the crosswind and lost directional control. A factor in the accident was the variable wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2001 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Mobile, Arizona · Mobile Lufthansa Pvt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-33A · all F-33As on the register
- Registration
- N5544P · registry record · serial CE 1336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a touch-and-go, when the airplane was about 10-15 feet off the runway, the right wing lifted, the left wing struck the runway, the airplane rolled inverted, and came to rest off the side of the runway. The student pilot made no wind correction inputs. The flight instructor tried to stabilize the airplane but was unsuccessful. A variable wind condition existed at the time of the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,852 hours in all; 688 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 2,534 as pilot in command; 795 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 7 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,551 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 30, 2001; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ at 9:20 pm
- Destination: 1AZ0 Mobile AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:14 pm from GYR, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.