Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Casa Grande, Arizona, October 17, 2025
On October 17, 2025 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 2006 Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N531CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Casa Grande, Arizona (Casa Grande Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2025 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Casa Grande, Arizona · Casa Grande Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW NO SERIES, built 2006 · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N531CT · registry record · serial 06-12-11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 17, 2025, about 13:20 mountain standard time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, N531CT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Casa Grande, Arizona. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91personal flight. The pilot reported that he sumped the fuel and found no water or contaminants, then verified 12 gallons of fuel on board by viewing the fuel sight tubes at the root of the overhead wings. The engine runup, departure and climb were uneventful. About 25 minutes into the flight the engine speed slowed unexpectedly and advancing the throttle did not change the engine speed. About 15 seconds later the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted three restarts. During the first restart, the engine started and ran normally for about 5 to 10 seconds then lost total power. During the second restart, the engine ran with partial power for about 5 to 10 seconds followed by a total loss of power. The engine did not start on the third attempt. The pilot maneuvered toward the destination airport and transmitted a mayday call over the radio. The pilot realized that there was insufficient altitude to reach the airport and performed an off-airport landing on desert scrub. Upon touchdown the airplane nosed-over which substantially damaged the fuselage and rudder assembly. The pilot exited the airplane unassisted. The airplane was recovered to a secure 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 (partial) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 505 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 7:44 pm
- Destination: RYN Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from CGZ, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCGZ 171956Z AUTO 29007KT 10SM CLR 25/07 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02500067 PNO $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26LA022.