Piper PA-44-180 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, April 30, 2006
On April 30, 2006 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N449PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of both pilots to maintain Vmc and directional control during a go-around. Also causal was an inoperative engine caused by flight instructor's failure to ensure that the fuel system was correctly configured for two engine operation by moving the shutoff valve for the right engine from the "off" to the "on" position. An additional cause was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2006 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N449PA · registry record · serial 4496185
- 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 an airport sign. The flight instructor (CFI) and the private pilot were inbound on an instrument approach while simulating a right engine failure. Before reaching the missed approach point, the CFI instructed the student to continue the approach visually. About 20 feet from the touchdown point, he gave the student control of both throttles and pulled them to idle. The sink rate was excessive and the airplane bounced into the air. The student added power to execute a go-around procedure but the right engine did not respond. The airplane was below its one engine inoperative minimum controllable airspeed and it yawed suddenly to the right. The CFI took the controls from the student and reduced the throttle on the left engine to regain control of the airplane. The airplane touched down off the runway and hit an airport sign on an adjacent taxiway, which caused the airplane's nose gear to collapse. The airplane skidded to a halt on the airport ramp. A maintenance technician secured the airplane after the accident and noticed that the left fuel selector was in the on position and the right fuel selector was in the off position. Examination of the airplane revealed that there was no fuel in the right fuel line, carburetor, or fuel pump. Maintenance personnel turned the right engine fuel selector valve to the on position. One of them started the engine without difficulty, and they observed no anomalies while they ran the engine.
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: 1,091 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 177 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 982 as pilot in command; 809 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dvg Holdings Incorperated
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7R, 8,208 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from DVT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.