- Date
- April 12, 2024, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Willcox, AZ · private airfield that doubles as a racetrack
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4011RPiper PA-32-300
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - Scottsdale FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240412012579A
- Case key
- 194221
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in collision with an object.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during takeoff with a right crosswind, he encountered a strong gust of wind that pushed the airplane into a 3-foot-tall wall located on the left side of the runway. The airplane’s left main landing gear subsequently struck the wall, which liberated the entire left main landing gear assembly from the airplane. The pilot then elected to continue to his home airport where he made a successful emergency landing. During the emergency landing, the left wing struck the surface of the runway resulting in substantial damage to the main wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4011R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40304
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 5,305.9
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hot Shots Aerial Photography LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 2023 · 188.6 hours before
- Departed
- 93AZ · Willcox, AZ
- Destination
- KFFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 93AZ · Inde Motorsports Ranch Airport, runway 26, 3,800 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 9, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 409.5 total · 295 in this make and model · 335.5 as pilot in command · 55.7 in the last 90 days · 5.1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 220° at 12 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KTUS, 48 nm away
- METAR
- KTUS 122153Z 22012G24KT 10SM CLR 31/M06 A2993 RMK AO2 PK WND 22030/2142 SLP093 T03061061
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.