Piper PA 28-181 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, February 4, 2014
On February 4, 2014 at about 6:50 pm local time, a 2002 Piper PA 28-181, registered N312PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadvertent positioning of the fuel selector in an intermediate position, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2014 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181 181, built 2002 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N312PA · no longer on the register · serial 2843509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student and flight instructor were conducting touch-and-go landings. The student flew an approach that required slipping the airplane and maintaining a low engine power setting. During the climb after the touch-and-go landing, the airplane's engine lost power about 200 ft above ground level. The flight instructor stated that the engine's rpm was decreasing and he decided to turn toward the airport area. Subsequently, the flight instructor initiated a forced landing to a field near the airport. During the landing sequence, the airplane struck and breached the airport's perimeter fence and then nosed over; a postaccident fire ensued. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. During the examination of the airplane wreckage, the fuel selector was found in an intermediate position. Ground testing of a similar model airplane revealed that the engine could run several minutes with the fuel selector positioned in this intermediate position. The student and the instructor stated that the student switched the fuel selector about 9 miles from the airport per operator requirements to switch fuel tanks every 30 minutes. Because of the location of the fuel selector, the flight instructor could not visually confirm its position. It is likely that the student inadvertently positioned the airplane's fuel selector in an intermediate setting, which restricted the engine's fuel supply. Further, the engine's low power setting during the approach allowed the engine to run for several minutes on the fuel remaining in the return line and operate until shortly after the completion of the touch-and-go landing. Subsequently, during the climb, when the engine power was advanced, it is likely that the remaining fuel in the return line was exhausted and led to the engine power loss.
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
- 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 › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,019 hours in all; 2,418 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,921 as pilot in command; 2,722 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 20, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,186 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 21, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 17,179 hours total
- Operator: Transpac Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 6:05 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07L, 4,499 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DVT, 1 miles away
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.
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.