Piper PA-28-180 accident near Sedona, Arizona, November 12, 2007
On November 12, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N3656R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind condition, which resulted in his failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Factors associated with the accident included the gusty crosswind condition and the taxiway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3656R · no longer on the register · serial 28-5760
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that after reaching rotation speed of 60 miles per hour the nose lifted off the runway, "...but the plane felt sluggish and heavy, so I gently eased the nose back down and decided to let the aircraft pick up more airspeed." The pilot stated that after a few seconds the airspeed began to increase again, "...so I released back pressure again, and I felt the aircraft begin to climb." The pilot revealed that at this point [the airplane] was "hit" by a sudden gust of wind causing it to be blown to the left of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted a taxiway sign before impacting the ground and coming to rest upright about 100 to 200 feet off the left side of runway 03. The pilot reported the wind at the time of the accident was from 150 degrees at 4 knots.
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: 62 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Destination: RYB Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 5,129 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N3656R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.