Piper PA-25-235 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, April 19, 1986
On April 19, 1986 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6661Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1986 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, 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
- N6661Z · registry record · serial 25-2261
- 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 ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND RT WING FIRST AFTER A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED IN A 45 DEGREE INTERCEPT TO FINAL WITH 30 DEGREES OF BANK AND FULL FLAPS. THE PLT FELT THE ACFT SINKING AND ATTEMTPED TO STOP IT WITH POWER AND REDUCED ANGLE OF BANK. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT AND 'COULD NOT 3PT IT' BEFORE IMPACT. THE PLT HAD JUST BEGUN OPERATIONS AT THIS LOCALITY. THE DENSITY ALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 3800 FT.
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
- Flight time: 755 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,968 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 1986; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX86FUJ01.