Piper PA-28-180 accident near Yuma, Arizona, July 2, 2005
On July 2, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9254J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuma, Arizona (Yuma International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudged distance and altitude, which resulted in an undershoot and collision with a airport boundary fence short of the runway. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity flying the airplane at a high gross weight with a center of gravity near the forward limit, which would have affected the elevator control forces and the amount of nose up elevator available.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Yuma, Arizona · Yuma International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9254J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with an airport perimeter fence short of the runway during landing and nosed over. While on final approach with the flaps fully extended and the throttle at 1,700 rpm, the airplane began descending rapidly. The pilot retracted the flaps 10 degrees and applied full power. The airplane continued to descend until it struck the airport perimeter fence and nosed over. The pilot reported that this was his first flight with three passengers on board the airplane. Weight and balance calculations showed that upon takeoff, the airplane exceeded its forward center of gravity limit by 1 inch and the gross weight was 2,347.42 pounds. During landing, the calculated center of gravity was near its forward limit, but 0.3 inches within the weight and balance envelope. The gross weight during landing was 2,257.42 pounds. The maximum gross weight for the airplane was 2,400 pounds.
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
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,333.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004; 207.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YUM Yuma AZ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: YUM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 6,146 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from YUM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.