Piper PA 23-235 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, December 17, 2006
On December 17, 2006 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA 23-235, registered N5829X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Deer Valley airport). 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 landing gear collapsed for undetermined reasons while the aircraft was standing on the taxiway with the engines operating.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2006 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 23-235 · all PA 23-235s on the register
- Registration
- N5829X · no longer on the register · serial 27-592
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right main landing gear collapsed as the pilot began to taxi the airplane to the runway. The pilot completed the run up and was preparing to depart. As he initiated the airplane's taxi, the right main gear collapsed. Post accident examination showed that none of the landing gear were in the down-and-locked position. Aircraft recovery personnel cycled the landing gear to a down-and-locked position. No mechanical anomalies were noted.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,004 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 866 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2006; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; ovct at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DVT
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.