Piper PA-28-161 accident near Chandler, Arizona, February 26, 1993
On February 26, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N975MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N975MA · registry record · serial 28-8216125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING A SIMULATED POWER-OFF FORCED LANDING. THE CFI REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, WHEN THE EXERCISE WAS ENDED AND THE STUDENT APPLIED POWER TO GO AROUND, THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS MOVED TO THE OFF POSITION. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, INCLUDING TURNING THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL BACK TO THE ON POSITION AND MOVING THE FUEL SELECTOR TO ANOTHER TANK, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT AND UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS SOME TIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ONE OF THE INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE AFTER IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE RESULTS OF THE INSPECTION REVEALED CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL SYSTEM TO THE FUEL STRAINER, WHICH WAS LOOSE AND DID NOT CONTAIN A SAFETY WIRE. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK.
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: 760 hours in all; 630 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 490 as pilot in command; 330 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,290 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 19, 1993; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chandler Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: P10 at 6:10 pm
- Destination: P10
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°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.
Other NTSB records under N975MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX93LA138.