What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 28, 2026, at approximately 19:49 local time, a single-engine Piper PA-28-180 cherokee registration privacy data omitted crashed shortly after departure from runway 22R at Chandler Municipal Airport (kchd) in Chandler, Arizona. The pilot in command, was the sole occupant aboard, sustained fatal injuries.
Shortly after lifting off during the initial climb phase the aircraft lost air speed and started a decent for unknown reasons. The aircraft impacted the ground about 1 mile southwest of the airport, coming to rest in a fenced commercial yard near the intersection of mcqueen road and queen creek road, adjacent to a local commercial building. A brief post-crash fire occurred following impact. No injuries or property on the ground were reported outside the immediate impact area.
At the time of departure on July 28, 2026, at 19:49 local time (July 29, 2026, at 02:49Z), weather conditions were clear with light, variable winds at 3 knots, unrestricted 10-mile visibility, an altimeter setting of 29.72 inhg, and a surface temperature of 104°f (40°c), with an estimated density altitude of approximately 4,200 feet MSL.
Examination of the airframe and engine components were conducted by representatives from Piper aircraft inc and Lycoming engines at air transport in phoenix. Investigators found that the aircraft’s airframe integrity remained intact prior to impact, showing no evidence of in-flight structural failure. Control cable continuity was successfully traced throughout the airframe to all primary flight control surfaces. Additionally, an inspection of the Lycoming engine revealed normal overall internal condition, with no signs of catastrophic mechanical breakdown or uncontained failure suggesting the engine was capable of producing power at the time of the event. During the detailed physical inspection of the wreckage, investigators noted that the fuel selector valve was found in the "off" position, prompting its removal from the airframe for further bench testing and further examination.
The national transportation safety board (NTSB) has assumed primary responsibility for the accident investigation, supported by the federal aviation administration (FAA). This report will be amended as necessary when new information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 28, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 19:49 LOCAL TIME, A SINGLE-ENGINE PIPER PA-28-180 CHEROKEE REGISTRATION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 22R AT CHANDLER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KCHD) IN CHANDLER, ARIZONA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND, WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTING OFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE THE AIRCRAFT LOST AIR SPEED AND STARTED A DECENT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT, COMING TO REST IN A FENCED COMMERCIAL YARD NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF MCQUEEN ROAD AND QUEEN CREEK ROAD, ADJACENT TO A LOCAL COMMERCIAL BUILDING. A BRIEF POST-CRASH FIRE OCCURRED FOLLOWING IMPACT. NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY ON THE GROUND WERE REPORTED OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT AREA.
AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE ON JULY 28, 2026, AT 19:49 LOCAL TIME (JULY 29, 2026, AT 02:49Z), WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR WITH LIGHT, VARIABLE WINDS AT 3 KNOTS, UNRESTRICTED 10-MILE VISIBILITY, AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.72 INHG, AND A SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF 104°F (40°C), WITH AN ESTIMATED DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 4,200 FEET MSL.
EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE COMPONENTS WERE CONDUCTED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM PIPER AIRCRAFT INC AND LYCOMING ENGINES AT AIR TRANSPORT IN PHOENIX. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THAT THE AIRCRAFT’S AIRFRAME INTEGRITY REMAINED INTACT PRIOR TO IMPACT, SHOWING NO EVIDENCE OF IN-FLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE. CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY WAS SUCCESSFULLY TRACED THROUGHOUT THE AIRFRAME TO ALL PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES. ADDITIONALLY, AN INSPECTION OF THE LYCOMING ENGINE REVEALED NORMAL OVERALL INTERNAL CONDITION, WITH NO SIGNS OF CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN OR UNCONTAINED FAILURE SUGGESTING THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. DURING THE DETAILED PHYSICAL INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE, INVESTIGATORS NOTED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE "OFF" POSITION, PROMPTING ITS REMOVAL FROM THE AIRFRAME FOR FURTHER BENCH TESTING AND FURTHER EXAMINATION.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) HAS ASSUMED PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, SUPPORTED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA). THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY WHEN NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.