Piper PA-28-161 accident near Tucson, Arizona, July 12, 2005
On July 12, 2005 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9886K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Ryan Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fuel truck, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2005 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Ryan Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9886K · registry record · serial 28-7816205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a fuel truck during taxi to the runway for takeoff. The certified flight instructor (CFI) noticed a fuel truck to the left and pointed it out to the student pilot, who had the controls. During the taxi, another student, who was in the back seat, asked the CFI to explain how to determine the magnetic deviation column of the visual flight rules flight plan form. The CFI stated that during his explanation, both he and the student in the back of the airplane were looking only at the compass card. At that time, the airplane's right wing struck the front of the fuel truck. The CFI then took the controls and applied full brakes. In spite of the corrective action, the momentum of the collision swung the airplane into the side of the truck. The CFI shutdown the engine and turned off the battery. 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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 555 hours in all; 236 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 474 as pilot in command; 190 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: International Airline Training Academy
The flight
- Departed from: RYN Tucson AZ
- Destination: CGZ Casa Grande AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 LAX05CA230.