Amateur-built Senior Aero Sport accident near Phoenix, Arizona, April 19, 2025
On April 19, 2025 at about 6:06 pm local time, a 1997 amateur-built Senior Aero Sport, registered N321WC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix - Deer Valley airport). 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 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
- April 19, 2025 · about 6:06 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix - Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Senior Aero Sport, built 1997
- Registration
- N321WC · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 19, 2025, about 1106 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur built D'Apuzzo Senior Aero Sport, N321WC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported after completing a thorough preflight inspection and adding fuel to the main saddle tanks. The pilot departed runway 7R at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, with the intention of staying in the airport traffic pattern, to “exercise the airplane.” During an approach for a third touch and go takeoff and landing, the pilot initiated a go-around at the direction of the air traffic control tower controller. As he turned onto the downwind leg for runway 7R, about 1,000 ft above the ground (agl), the engine RPM surged multiple times followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot turned the electric fuel boost pump on (both high and low speed settings) and cycled the throttle and mixture lever settings, but the engine did not restart. About 700 ft agl, the pilot turned towards the airport and declared an emergency, in which he was immediately cleared by a tower controller to land on runway 25R. The pilot realized that he would not be able to make it to the airport and initiated a forced landing onto a road. During the off-airport landing sequence, the pilot the pilot maneuvered from the road to avoid a vehicle, and the airplane impacted a carport roof. Subsequently the airplane came to rest nose down in a parking lot. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both lower wings were substantially damaged. The airplane was recovered to a secure location 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 approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: N321 Whiskey Charlie LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7R, 8,196 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KDVT, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDVT 191753Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 15/04 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP177 T01500044 10156 20083 51015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.