Piper PA-28-181 accident near Mesa, Arizona, June 25, 2008
On June 25, 2008 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N4144P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field 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 student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2008 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field Airport · 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
- N4144P · registry record · serial 2843121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was performing a solo flight and was on an extended final for runway 22L with the intention of performing a full stop landing. The air traffic control tower requested that he change to runway 22R. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for the requested runway and was cleared to land. He extended the flaps to 40 degrees on short final. He stated that he should have extended the flaps earlier because of excessive airspeed. He said that the airplane passed over the runway numbers at an airspeed of approximately 75 knots. He closed the throttle and the airplane floated for an extended period of time. The main landing gear then touched down on the runway surface and the airplane bounced. The pilot held pitch attitude and the airplane touched down on the runway surface again. The right wing then lifted upwards and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot applied brakes and right rudder, and the airplane departed the runway to the left. The airplane then collided with a ditch, collapsing the nose landing gear and causing substantial damage to the firewall.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,711 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2008; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWA Phoenix AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 3,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from FFZ
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 N4144P 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.