Piper PA-28-161 accident near Chandler, Arizona, February 17, 2005
On February 17, 2005, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N80565, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 students pilot's failure to maintain directional control resulting in a collision with the taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2005
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N80565 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during landing, and collided with a taxiway sign. After completing six touch and go's the student pilot performed a full stop landing on runway 22 right to terminate the lesson. The landing was normal, but shortly after all three wheels were down, he applied the brakes, which caused the airplane to skid. He attempted to straighten the airplane out but the airplane veered to the right-hand side of the runway where it came in contract with a taxiway sign, which spun the airplane and caused damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The winds were calm at the time of the event.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-03G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 4,401 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
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.