Piper PA-38-112 accident near Green Valley, Arizona, May 19, 1988
On May 19, 1988 at about 5:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2326A, was destroyed in an accident near Green Valley, Arizona (Tucson Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO ACCOMPLISH THE PROPER STALL RECOVERY PROCEDURES ALLOWING THE STALL TO DEVELOP INTO A SPIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TRAINING IN SPIN RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1988 · about 5:22 pm local time
- Place
- Green Valley, Arizona · Tucson Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2326A · registry record · serial 78A 0641
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,951 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1988; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from TUS, 23 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.