Piper PA-22-150 accident near Tucson, Arizona, July 19, 1992
On July 19, 1992 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3406Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN CONDITIONS IN THE AREA OF THE FORCED LANDING WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1992 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3406Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-7318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, AND REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT TO ITS 36 GALLON CAPACITY, THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON HIS FINAL LEG HOME. HE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 6000 FEET MSL APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING AT PINAL AIRPARK, ARIZONA, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 31 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF TUCSON, BUT COLLIDED WITH THE ROUGH TERRAIN ABOUT 350 YARDS SHORT OF RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO FAA INSPECTORS NO OBVIOUS FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS IN THE ENGINE WERE NOTED DURING THEIR ON SCENE INVESTIGATION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1992; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-350-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from TUS, 31 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.