Piper PA 28-140 accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, September 18, 2007
On September 18, 2007 at about 11:59 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-140, registered N4764T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff Puliam airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a forced landing off the end of the runway. A contributing factor to the accident was the gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2007 · about 11:59 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff Puliam · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4764T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 33-hour student pilot was performing a short field takeoff. He selected two notches of flaps and while holding the brakes, applied full power. The airplane accelerated to 65 knots and lifted from the runway. The airspeed then decreased so the pilot pushed the nose over and retracted the flaps. He continued to descend and the airspeed would not increase. The pilot force landed the airplane off the end of the runway and it impacted trees. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine. Winds at the time of the accident were from 240 degrees at 10 knots, with 16-knot wind gusts.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KFLG
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.