Piper PA28 - 160 accident near Tucson, Arizona, October 19, 2013
On October 19, 2013 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1961 Piper PA28 - 160, registered N5184W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tucson, Arizona (Ryan Field). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and collison with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2013 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Ryan Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 - 160 160, built 1961 · all PA28 - 160s on the register
- Registration
- N5184W · no longer on the register · serial 28-219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll she had a difficult time slowing the airplane down and thought there might be a problem with the brakes. After overcorrecting with right rudder the airplane veered off of the right side of the runway, where it impacted a runway sign and a taxiway light before coming to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing's leading edge spar. A postaccident examination of the brake system revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure 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 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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 2,800 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E63 Gila Bend AZ at 5:40 pm
- Destination: RYN Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06L, 4,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from RYN
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.