Piper PA28R-201 accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, November 22, 1991
On November 22, 1991 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA28R-201, registered N91886, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona (Gila Bend Municipal 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 ANIMAL ON THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DUE TO OVERLOAD AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1991 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · Gila Bend Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R-201 · all PA28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N91886 · no longer on the register · serial 2837037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT DUAL STUDENT WAS RECEIVING NIGHT TAKEOFF AND LANDING INSTRUCTION. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE DUAL STUDENT TO EXECUTE A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 22. THE DUAL STUDENT SUCCESSFULLY LANDED AND INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. WHEN THE AIRPLANE ROTATED THE CFI OBSERVED A GRAYISH OBJECT TRAVERSING PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY NEAR THE RIGHT LEADING EDGE WING ROOT AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH IT. THE OBJECT WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS A DEER. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND RETURNED TO ITS HOME BASE. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT THE CFI ASCERTAINED THAT RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM ITS ATTACH POINT, BUT THE CFI WAS ABLE TO LAND AT ITS HOME BASE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,445 hours in all; 1,271 in this make and model; 219 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 4,186 as pilot in command; 3,636 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,888 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 15, 1991; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Transport Training Intl
The flight
- Departed from: RYN Tucson AZ at 1:15 am
- Destination: E63 Gila Bend AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N91886 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.