Piper PA-24-250 accident near Mesa, Arizona, December 19, 2024
On December 19, 2024 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7833P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Fld airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2024 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7833P · registry record · serial 24-3053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 19, 2024, about 1515 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N7833P, was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to airport personnel at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona, the airplane departed runway 22L and shortly thereafter radioed tower personnel that they had lost engine power. The airplane made a 180° turn to land on runway 4L; however, it landed short of the runway in an orange grove. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that, the entire airplane came to rest at the accident site. The engine separated at its engine mounts from the airplane and was located adjacent to the right door forward of the right wing. The airplane was recovered to a secure storage facility for further examination.
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 enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Runway 4L, 3,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KFFZ, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFFZ 192154Z 21003KT 10SM CLR 26/04 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP170 T02560039
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.