Piper PA-34-200T accident near Mesa, Arizona, June 21, 1983
On June 21, 1983 at about 1:40 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N3ZT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1983 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3ZT · no longer on the register · serial 34-7770178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING ALL THE LANDING GEAR WARNING LIGHTS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY IN THE PATTERN. AFTER 1 RECYCLE THE GEAR INDICATED DOWN BUT ON ROLLOUT THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT FEATHERED THE LEFT ENGINE AND POSITIONED THE PROPELLER BEFORE THE GEAR FULLY COLLAPSED. THE WARNINGHORN DID NOT BLOW ON FINAL WITH POWER OFF BUT DID SOUND ON THE RWY BEFORE COLLAPSE. ON JACKS THE NEXT DAY THE LANDING GEAR WAS CYCLED ABOUT 20 TIMES WITHOUT MALFUNCTION.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,230 hours in all; 251 in the last 90 days; 4,051 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,334 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 17, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fiesta Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: P19 Chandler AZ at 1:20 am
- Runway 22, 4,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 am from P16
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.