Piper PA-20 accident near Glendale, Arizona, May 20, 2009
On May 20, 2009 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1591A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll out.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2009 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1591A · registry record · serial 20-827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight was normal and he set up for landing, with no unusual drift noted on final approach and with a normal touchdown. The pilot stated that the next thing he recalled was the left wing dropped and the airplane was skidding to the right across the runway and impacting a runway light. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane or the control system.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,880 hours in all; 1,973 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 2009; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJN St Johns AZ at 9:30 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from GEU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.