Piper PA-38-112 accident near Glendale, Arizona, August 12, 2009
On August 12, 2009 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N86GW, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2009 · about 5:10 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-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N86GW · registry record · serial 38-79A0093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot/owner was on a solo instructional flight when the engine lost power during the upwind leg after takeoff. During the forced landing in a dirt field, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was examined by investigators following recovery. The engine was started and ran smoothly for 5 minutes at various power settings. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with the examination of the recovered airframe and engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 2009; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 4:30 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:22 pm from GUE, 15 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N86GW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.