# Accident 20260204000519A: Socata TB21, Prescott, AZ, February 4, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 4, 2026, 20:00 local time
- Place: Prescott, AZ
- Airport: Prescott Regional - Ernest A Love
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7012° N, 112.3727° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7012&lon=-112.3727&mi=10
- Aircraft: N967WM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N967WM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Socata TB21 (registry code 8680697, https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tb21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SOCATA TB21
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26FA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA097) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260204000519A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 4, 2026, AT ABOUT 2000 LOCAL TIME,  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED WHILE TURNING TO APPROACH FOR LANDING AT PRESCOTT ARIZONA (PRC). THE SOCATA TBN21 AIRCRAFT HAD ONE PERSON ON BOARD (PILOT), WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THE CRASH.

THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INCLUDED A REVIEW OF ADS-B FLIGHT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE REVIEW OF THE AUDIO FILE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE PILOT AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM ATC WAS CLEARANCE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 21L, THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION, AND ATC LOST THE AIRCRAFT ON RADAR. ADS-B DATA SHOWED THE LAST LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 4900 FEET ASL. THE ALTITUDE AT PRC IS 5045 FEET MSL. THE TERRAIN APPROACHING THE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTHEAST CONSISTS OF ROLLING HILLS, MOST OF WHICH EXCEED THE ELEVATION OF THE AIRPORT. FROM THE SITE OF THE CRASH, THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE SEEN VISUALLY DUE TO THE ELEVATION OF THE SURROUNDING HILLS.

FAA INSPECTORS ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ON FEBRUARY 5, AT APPROXIMATELY 08:30 (LOCAL).  INSPECTION OF THE CRASH SITE INDICATED A LOW ANGLE, HIGH SPEED IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN.  A VERY LARGE DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDING NEARLY 400 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT IS CONSISTENT WITH A LOW ANGLE, HIGH SPEED IMPACT. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT DETERMINED IT TO BE DESTROYED. PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE SIGHT TO DOCUMENT THE EVIDENCE TRAIL OF KEY COMPONENTS AND THEIR LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE DEBRIS FIELD AND THE MAIN WRECKAGE.

AFTER REVIEWING ALL DATA AND INSPECTION OF THE CRASH SITE, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN THE DARK, AT AN ELEVATION TOO LOW FOR THE TERRAIN, AND TURNED LEFT INTO THE HILLS, CAUSING HIS LEFT WING TIP TO CONTACT THE GROUND.

## 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 WPR26FA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA097), Feb 5, 2026: Socata TB21 (N967WM), Prescott, AZ, destroyed, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.