Piper PA-28-140 accident near Carefree, Arizona, April 8, 1991
On April 8, 1991 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5206T, was destroyed in an accident near Carefree, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AN INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1991 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Carefree, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5206T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225351
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS BEING CHECKED OUT IN THE AIRPLANE BY THE CFI. AFTER PERFORMING SEVERAL MANEUVERS, THE CFI RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND INSTRUCTED THE PRIVATE PILOT TO EXECUTE A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE SELECTED LANDING AREA, THE PRIVATE PILOT OBSERVED POWER LINES AND BEGAN TO APPLY POWER TO GO AROUND. THE CFI YELLED TO THE PRIVATE PILOT TO GO UNDER THE POWER LINES AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CONTROLS AND NOSED THE AIRPLANE DOWN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE POWER LINES AND CRASHED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 311 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fuller Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.