Piper PA-28-140 accident near Springerville, Arizona, May 22, 1986
On May 22, 1986 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3505K, was destroyed in an accident near Springerville, Arizona (Springerville-Eager Muni 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 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
- May 22, 1986 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Springerville, Arizona · Springerville-Eager Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3505K · no longer on the register · serial 28-23592
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED ACFT AFTER THE STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL DURING A GO-AROUND. THE STUDENT STATED THAT DURING HIS FIRST LANDING OF THE DAY THE ACFT STARTED TO 'SLIDE SIDEWAYS' AND HE ELECTED TO GO-AROUND. HE INCREASED THE THROTTLE AND THE ACFT DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND EVENTUALLY BECAME AIRBORNE. HE THEN REALIZED THAT HE STILL HAD THE FLAPS IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. REMEMBERING THAT HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOLD HIM IT WAS WRONG TO TAKE OFF WITH FULL FLAPS, THE STUDENT PILOT RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO THE FULL UP POSITION. THE ACFT SETTLED ONTO THE RAMP AREA AND THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN BY APPLYING FULL POWER. THE ACFT ACCELERATED AND STRUCK TWO PARKEDACFT.
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: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,494 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ashton Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: Springerville AZ at 1:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.