# Accident 20180409003429A: Piper PA-24-260, Scottsdale, AZ, April 9, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2018, 20:48 local time
- Place: Scottsdale, AZ
- Airport: Scottsdale
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6356° N, 111.8978° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6356&lon=-111.8978&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9456P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9456P-2018-06-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-260 (registry code 7102406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 6
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 5,200 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA119) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180409003429A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

N9456P, A PIPER PA-24 260C AIRCRAFT, SERIAL NUMBER 24-4964, DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (KVGT), ON APRIL 9, 2018, AT 18:42 MST, ENROUTE TO SCOTTSDALE, AZ WITH ONE OCCUPANT.  ^MR. VALENTE,^ AN ATP RATED PILOT, FLEW THE AIRPLANE FROM VGT TO SDL WITH THE INTENTION OF PICKING UP PASSENGERS AND FLYING THEM BACK TO VGT.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT APPROX. 20:18 MST, AT THE SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT (KSDL).  THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO N9456P, LLC.  THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT TAKE ON ANY ADDITIONAL FUEL OR FILE A FLIGHT PLAN.

THE AIRCRAFT PARKED AT ROSS AVIATION, WHERE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE PERSONS BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT.  PERMISSION WAS GIVEN BY THE TOWER TO PROCEED TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY AND WAS CLEARED TO TAKE-OFF. THE TRAFFIC VOLUME AT SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT, WAS LIGHT, UNDER CLEAR SKIES WITH CALM WINDS. N9456P REPORTED HAVING THE APPROPRIATE ATIS CODE AND WAS CLEARED TO DEPART RUNWAY 3 WITH A WIND CHECK.

A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERA AT SDL, LOCATED ON THE RAMP WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED, CAPTURED THE OCCUPANTS BEGIN TO BOARD THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 20:28. THE FOOTAGE REVEALED THAT ^MR. PEDROZA,^ A PASSENGER AND ALSO A STUDENT PILOT, OCCUPIED THE FRONT LEFT SEAT AND ^MR. VALENTE^ OCCUPIED THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT. ADDITIONAL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE LOCATED MIDFIELD ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, CAPTURED THE AIRPLANE DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 03. THE FOOTAGE APPEARED TO INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS WERE ROCKING DURING AND SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION. A TRAFFIC CAMERA, LOCATED ABOUT 0.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY, RECORDED THE AIRPLANE IN A LEFT BANK EXECUTING A LEFT TURN. AS THE TURN PROGRESSED, THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED, AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DESCEND. THE WINGS BECAME NEARLY VERTICAL, AND THE VIEW OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST BEHIND A BERM. SECONDS LATER, THE CAMERA CAUGHT A FIREBALL WHEN THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN.  AT APPROXIMATELY 20:48 MST, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 0.5 MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE TCP GOLF COURSE.  ALL OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED.  PERSONS ON BOARD INCLUDED THREE MALES AND THREE FEMALES

THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A GOLF COURSE AT THE NORTH OF THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE MAIN CABIN WAS MOSTLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING WAS SEPARATED, AND IN ADDITION TO THERMAL DAMAGE, EXHIBITED SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT CRUSH DAMAGE.  THE INBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR SUBSEQUENT DETAILED EXAMINATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR18FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA119), Apr 10, 2018: Piper PA 24-260 (N9456P), Scottsdale, AZ, destroyed, 6 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to maintain airplane control during the initial climb as a result of the airplane being loaded above its maximum gross weight and beyond its aft center of gravity…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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