Piper PA-28-161 accident near Chandler, Arizona, March 3, 2008
On March 3, 2008 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8400A, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal airport). 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
The student pilot's delay in initiating the go-around, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident were the momentary failure of the engine to respond, the failure of both the student and the instructor to adhere to the operator's procedures, and the rough/uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2008 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal · 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
- N8400A · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The dual student was practicing a simulated engine-out landing, with the intention of executing a go-around during the last part of the final approach. Although the operator's procedures called for the initiation of a go-around no lower than 300 feet above ground level (agl), the flight instructor did not call for the go-around until the airplane was about 100 feet agl. To initiate the go-around, the student pushed the throttle to the full-forward position, whereupon the engine momentarily coughed, and the airplane continued to sink. Just as the engine accelerated to full power, the airplane struck the ground on rough/uneven terrain. The accident sequence resulted in both external and internal damage to both wings. After the accident, the engine was started and run at various power settings, and no anomalies were found that would have kept it from correctly responding to a full-throttle power application.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 687 hours in all; 280 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 581 as pilot in command; 370 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,293 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCHD Chandler AZ at 2:50 pm
- Destination: KCHD
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.