Piper PA-25-235 accident near Maricopa, Arizona, July 6, 1995
On July 6, 1995 at about 8:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9188T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maricopa, Arizona (Estrella Sailport airport). It was an other work-use 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
an undetermined internal failure of the carburetor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1995 · about 8:14 pm local time
- Place
- Maricopa, Arizona · Estrella Sailport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9188T · registry record · serial 25-7856039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 50 FEET AGL IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB TOWING A GLIDER ALOFT, WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF A LOSS OF POWER ACCOMPANIED BY A BLACK SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT RELEASED THE GLIDER, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE OR AIRCRAFT ENERGY TO MAKE A RETURN TO RUNWAY MANEUVER. HE LANDED ON SOFT DESERT SOIL, AND DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED HEAVY SOOTING OF ALL SPARK PLUGS. NO EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS NOTED. THE PILOT SAID HE BELIEVES AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION OF THE CARBURETOR WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POWER LOSS. THE ENGINE AND CARBURETOR WERE EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO REPORTED THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATION REGARDING POTENTIAL DISCREPANCIES.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,532 as pilot in command; 2,614 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1995; 293 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E68
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24L, 2,520 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 109°F (43°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.