Piper PA-38-112 accident near Buckeye, Arizona, August 22, 1987
On August 22, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2483L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona (Buckeye Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 22, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · Buckeye Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2483L · no longer on the register · serial 3879A0718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-38-112 LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY WHILE ON A VFR TRAINING FLIGHT. THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) INDICATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT MADE AN ABRUPT AFT YOKE (UP ELEVATOR) APPLICATION DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED TO DEMONSTRATE 'THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL SENSITIVE TO CONTROL INPUTS.' THE CFI THEN REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH AND FELT THE AIRCRAFT START TO SINK. HE ADDED FULL POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND LANDED HARD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 742 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 2,968 as pilot in command; 1,945 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 1987; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ at 3:50 pm
- Destination: BXK Buckeye AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.