Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 accident near Bullhead City, Arizona, April 8, 2009
On April 8, 2009 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company A36, registered N3224Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bullhead City, Arizona (Eagle Airpark airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswinds and his failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2009 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bullhead City, Arizona · Eagle Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company A36
- Registration
- N3224Q · registry record · serial E3224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the flight approached its destination, the pilot listened to the automated surface observation station weather report at an airport located about 7 nautical miles north of the destination airport. According to the pilot, the wind at the nearby airport was out of the northwest at 10 mph gusting to 15. The pilot stated that he flew over the destination airport and determined that the winds were as reported at the nearby airport. The final approach to Runway 35 appeared normal to the pilot, and he noticed a crosswind presence. The pilot commented that the "airplane was responding as usual, and there was no indication of severe gusting or any unusual wind condition." The pilot said that as the airplane touched down, "an extreme unpredictable northwest dust devil and/or whirlwind hit the front of my airplane causing the airplane to veer to the right." The airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, and impacted bushes adjacent to the runway. The nose landing gear and left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing tip fuel tank and left aileron were bent and wrinkled. About 1 hour before the accident, the reported wind at the nearby airport was from 270 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Near the time of the accident, the reported wind was from 300 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. About 1 hour after the accident, the reported wind was from 300 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 22 knots. Based on the reported gusty northwest winds, it appears likely that what the pilot called a "northwest dust devil and/or whirlwind" was actually a gust of wind from the northwest.
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 (flare/touchdown) 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 Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 19, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: A09 Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from EED, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.