Piper PA-25-235 accident near New River, Arizona, October 24, 1983
On October 24, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N4361Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near New River, Arizona (Pleasant Valley airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 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
- October 24, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- New River, Arizona · Pleasant Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4361Y · no longer on the register · serial 4866
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOW PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A TAKEOFF TOW WITH BOTH ACFT STILL ON THE GROUND, HE STARTED TO DRIFT RIGHT AS A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT HIM. THE GLIDER PILOT DECIDED TO RELEASE. THE TOW ACFT THEN WENT 100 YARDS OFF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED GLIDER. WIND WAS GUSTING 30 KTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,440 hours in all; 1,550 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 2,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,616 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1983; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B285 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from PHX, 25 miles away
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.