Boeing A75N1 accident near Mesa, Arizona, March 21, 2026
On March 21, 2026 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 1942 Boeing A75N1, registered N5045V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2026 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75N1, built 1942 · all A75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N5045V · registry record · serial 75-5422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing rollout, the airplane encountered a strong wind gust and subsequently veered to the right. The pilot applied corrective control inputs; however, the airplane ground looped, and the left wing contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage. Reported wind conditions 21 minutes prior to the accident were variable at 6 kts and wind conditions 39 minutes after the accident were from 280° at 4 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 34,671 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 60.8 in the last 90 days; 51.7 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 14, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 270 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,635 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680 (piston); 270 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22L, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from FFZ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFFZ 212054Z 28004KT 10SM CLR 38/M04 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP076 T03781044 58024=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| 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.
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 WPR26LA138.