Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Tucson, Arizona, July 14, 2009
On July 14, 2009 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N3953T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tucson, Arizona (Tucson International 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
A hard landing or abnormal runway contact by one or both pilots.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2009 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Tucson International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3953T · registry record · serial 28R-30296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to the flight he checked the weather, and preflighted the airplane. The pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI) took off and conducted a series of practice flight maneuvers for his commercial pilot's license. After completing the maneuvers, the pilot and CFI returned to the airport to practice five landings then taxi the airplane to the parking area. After parking the airplane, a crack was observed on the wing above the right landing gear aft mount. Further examination of the airframe revealed the upper right wing and right main landing gear attachment point were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane's airframe or engine prior to the incident.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Flight crew
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 724 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 518 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,617 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,533 as pilot in command; 1,148 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 30, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,100 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 6, 2009; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Mexico Flying Eagle Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 1:00 pm
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11R, 8,408 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 2:53 pm from TUS
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.