Piper PA-28-161 accident near Goodyear, Arizona, June 16, 2011
On June 16, 2011 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N434K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Goodyear, Arizona (Goodyear Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and failure to maintain lateral control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2011 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Goodyear, Arizona · Goodyear Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N434K · no longer on the register · serial 288116028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor and his student were performing a soft field take off. He reported that while in ground effect after lift off the student was not applying sufficient right rudder to offset wind drift and the left turning tendency of the airplane due to P-factor and torque. As the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway, the flight instructor took over the flight controls. The flight instructor commented that he dropped the nose of the airplane to attain flying speed and inadvertently touched down on the left side of the runway. He then proceeded to takeoff and fly the lesson with the student. After returning to the airport at completion of the flight lesson, a visual inspection found that the right wing tip and aileron sustained substantial damage. According to an eyewitness, the right wing of the airplane appeared to have struck the ground when the airplane touched down. The pilots reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,820 hours in all; 3,170 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 3,720 as pilot in command; 3,335 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 28, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,278 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 10, 2011; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D4G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Oxford Airline Training Center INC
The flight
- Departed from: KGYR Goodyear AZ at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KGYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from KGYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N434K 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.