Piper PA28 accident near Glendale, Arizona, August 21, 2009
On August 21, 2009 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA28, registered N424PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2009 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N424PA · registry record · serial 2843468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on his first solo flight. He reported that the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, but then quickly veered to the right. He tried to correct with left brake, however the airplane continued off the runway and collided with a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and stabilator. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,643 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 26, 2009; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trans Pac Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 3:45 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from KGEU
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.