Piper PA-28-181 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, March 15, 2008
On March 15, 2008 at about 7:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N416PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2008 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N416PA · registry record · serial 2843438
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot positioned the airplane's wing flaps to the 40-degree position and crabbed the airplane into the left crosswind, which averaged 220 degrees at 11 knots. Four minutes before the accident, the airport's local wind direction was reported as variable at 4 knots with 19-knot gusts. The student pilot landed on runway 25R, and as the airplane decelerated, the pilot attempted to exit the runway at a rate of speed that was too fast to negotiate the turnoff. The pilot lost directional control as the airplane swerved left and collided with several airport signs. Thereafter, the landing gear collapsed.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pan Am International Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: E25 Wickenberg AZ
- Destination: DVT AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25R, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DVT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N416PA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.