Piper PA-11 accident near Gilbert, Arizona, December 17, 2003
On December 17, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N5516H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gilbert, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 control of the airplane during the landing touchdown in soft terrain. A contributing factor was the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gilbert, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N5516H · registry record · serial 11-1018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane came to rest inverted after attempting to land in a soft dirt field. The pilot was attempting to land in an alfalfa field next to his home. He had successfully completed landings in the field prior to the accident. The dirt in the field had recently been lightly disked. Upon touchdown, the airplane's main landing gear sunk into the soft terrain. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2003; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2AZ4 Maricopa AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Gilbert AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PHX, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.