What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 5, 2026, at approximately 0825 MST, a Piper PA-28 departed western sky airpark (OAZ2), Salome, Arizona, on a part 91 local flight. Shortly after takeoff, at approximately 800 feet AGL and while initiating a crosswind turn, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot did not attempt an engine restart and instead conducted a forced landing approximately one mile from the airport. The aircraft came to rest off airport and sustained substantial damage. Both the lefthand and righthand main landing gear were separated from the aircraft upon the initial impact. The aircraft traveled approximately another 100 yards traveling through shrubs, went down 4 ft high embankment, and then the lefthand wing and tail section went through a chain-link fence before coming to rest. Upon arriving on the scene of the crash, it was observed that the propeller was in a horizontal position and the would not move. The propeller blades were bent but appeared to be from contacting bushes on the ground and not under power. The engine also appeared to be severally canted to the right. The pilot and sole passenger were not injured.
The investigation remains ongoing and this report may be amended as additional information becomes available.
Note the pilot has obtained legal council and has not provided total hours.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 5, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 0825 MST, A PIPER PA-28 DEPARTED WESTERN SKY AIRPARK (OAZ2), SALOME, ARIZONA, ON A PART 91 LOCAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET AGL AND WHILE INITIATING A CROSSWIND TURN, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT AN ENGINE RESTART AND INSTEAD CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST OFF AIRPORT AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. BOTH THE LEFTHAND AND RIGHTHAND MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT UPON THE INITIAL IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 100 YARDS TRAVELING THROUGH SHRUBS, WENT DOWN 4 FT HIGH EMBANKMENT, AND THEN THE LEFTHAND WING AND TAIL SECTION WENT THROUGH A CHAIN-LINK FENCE BEFORE COMING TO REST. UPON ARRIVING ON THE SCENE OF THE CRASH, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE PROPELLER WAS IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION AND THE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT BUT APPEARED TO BE FROM CONTACTING BUSHES ON THE GROUND AND NOT UNDER POWER. THE ENGINE ALSO APPEARED TO BE SEVERALLY CANTED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.
THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING AND THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NOTE THE PILOT HAS OBTAINED LEGAL COUNCIL AND HAS NOT PROVIDED TOTAL HOURS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.