Piper PA-28-236 accident near Wikieup, Arizona, November 21, 1983
On November 21, 1983 at about 3:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N4291R, was destroyed in an accident near Wikieup, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- November 21, 1983 · about 3:25 am local time
- Place
- Wikieup, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N4291R · no longer on the register · serial 28-8311010
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PLT OBTAINED 2 WX BRIEFINGS & WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE DEPARTED AT 1730. SEVERAL REQUESTS WERE MADE FOR EN ROUTE WX FROM LAS VEGAS FLT WATCH. AT 1945, THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & INDICATED THAT HE WAS LOST. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 6500 FT MSL & HE BELIEVED HE WAS OVER THE COLORADO RIVER. ATC HAD DIFFICULTY IDENTIFYING THE ACFT DUE TO HIS LOW ALT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AT 2015, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS POSITION WAS 42 MI EAST OF NEEDLES, CA. HE REPORTED TRACKING 260 DEG TO NEEDLES, DETOURING AROUND CLOUDS. THE LAST COMMUNICATION WAS AT 2023 WHEN HE SAID HE ALMOST HIT A MOUNTAIN, HAD TO DESCEND & WAS TURNING BACK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A 45 DEG SLOPE AT 6500 FT MSL.
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: 450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1983; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from PRC, 56 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4291R 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.