Piper PA-44-180 accident near Prescott, Arizona, November 12, 1990
On November 12, 1990 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N39776, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Prescott airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUNION ATTACH FITTING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1990 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Prescott · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N39776 · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS PERFORMING A NORMAL LANDING WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUT FAILED ON TOUCH DOWN. THE STUDENT AND THE INSTRUCTOR WERE ABLE TO AFFECT A REJECTED LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR FLEW THE AIRCRAFT AROUND THE LOCAL AREA FOR THREE HOURS AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES TO BURN THE FUEL LOAD DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN LANDED GEAR UP AT PRESCOTT. DURING THE REJECTED LANDING, THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR HANGING FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE. DURING THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN AROUND THE LOCAL AREA, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FELL FREE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT FAILED AT THE TRUNION ATTACH FITTING. THE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND THE ASSOCIATED ATTACH FITTINGS WERE NOT LOCATED FOR A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE FAILURE MODE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 1,047 as pilot in command; 714 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry Riddle University
The flight
- Departed from: PRC at 2:50 pm
- Destination: PRC
- Runway 21, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:04 pm from PRC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N39776 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.