Piper PA-28-181 accident near Wickenburg, Arizona, January 4, 2011
On January 4, 2011 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N443PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Wickenburg, Arizona (Wickenburg 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
The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance between the airplane's right wing and the pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2011 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Wickenburg, Arizona · Wickenburg 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-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N443PA · registry record · serial 2843499
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While parking the airplane, the student pilot noticed a pole by the parking area. He thought that there was adequate clearance between the right wing and the pole. However, the leading edge of the right wing contacted the pole and resulted in substantial damage to the spar.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Response/compensation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,659 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 3, 2011; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bird Acquisition LLC
The flight
- Departed from: E63 Gila Bend AZ at 5:15 pm
- Destination: E25 Wickenburg AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KBXK, 33 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.
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.