Piper PA-28-140 accident near Amado, Arizona, August 2, 2021
On August 2, 2021 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1974 Piper PA-28-140, registered N44245, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Amado, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inflight separation of a section of a propeller blade due to a fatigue crack, which resulted in a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2021 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Amado, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1974 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N44245 · registry record · serial 28-7425397
- 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 flight, the airplane suddenly started vibrating. After checking the magneto switch and looking over the instruments for any cylinder anomalies, he shut down the engine. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field during which the right wing impacted a tree. The airplane landed hard in a muddy field, collapsing the nose landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a portion of the propeller blade had separated in flight. Examination of the propeller revealed that the propeller blade exhibited a fatigue crack that initiated near the trailing edge of the blade. Metal transfer from an alloy dissimilar to that of the blade’s material likely resulted from an object that impacted the blade face near the trailing edge. The red transfer marks on the blade were likely impact marks from contacting the engine cowling during the accident sequence.
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 (partial) during enroute
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller blade section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,136 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2021; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-360-F2A (piston); 6,793 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLS Nogales CA at 4:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 am from KOLS, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOLS 021554Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/19 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02720194
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 19, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Memorandum-pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Email-pilot Information and Statement from Owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array-accident Site (Courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N44245 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.