Piper PA-28-235 accident near Mesa, Arizona, October 20, 2003
On October 20, 2003 at about 11:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9338W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Also causal, was the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to secure the right side of the engine cowling prior to departure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2003 · about 11:18 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9338W · registry record · serial 28-11023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane stalled and collided with the ground during an attempted return to runway maneuver. During the initial climb from runway 22R the pilot reported to the tower that he had a loose panel and he needed to return to the airport. A witness reported that the airplane departed with an open cowling. After lifting from the runway, the airplane turned left and then stalled. The witness lost visual contact with the airplane when it descended below a tree line. The airplane collided with terrain about 250 yards southwest of runway 4L. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the attachment fittings for the cowling on the right side were unlatched and not damaged. The left attachment fittings for the cowling were latched and deformed.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4L, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KFFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9338W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX04LA021.