Piper PA-38-112 accident near Kingman, Arizona, May 28, 2002
On May 28, 2002, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N4326E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingman, Arizona (Kingman 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 CFI's failure to obtain/maintain an adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, which resulted in a stall/mush condition. The high density altitude, tailwind, inadequate supervision, and overgross weight condition were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2002
- Place
- Kingman, Arizona · Kingman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N4326E · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane settled into the ground during a go-around from a simulated emergency landing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) was teaching the student an abbreviated approach to landing where the turn from base to final is rounded instead of the traditional square pattern. The CFI said that about 150 feet agl as they were tuning to final he observed they were overshooting the centerline of the runway, and had an excessive sink rate. The CFI took control of the airplane and applied full power; however, the descent continued. The airplane "dropped out of the sky, and pancaked onto the ground" next to the runway. The airplane weight was 180 pounds over gross at takeoff, and about 92 pounds over gross at the time of the accident. The density altitude was approximately 5,300 feet. The airplane landed in an easterly direction; winds at the time of the accident were from the south-southwest at 20 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2001; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IGM Kingman AZ at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from IGM, 10 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.