- Date
- October 20, 2003, 16:18 local (23:18 UTC)
- Place
- Mesa, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9338WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20031020028569A
- Case key
- 58217
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 an adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Also causal, was the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to secure the right side of the engine cowling prior to departure.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane stalled and collided with the ground during an attempted return to runway maneuver. During the initial climb from runway 22R the pilot reported to the tower that he had a loose panel and he needed to return to the airport. A witness reported that the airplane departed with an open cowling. After lifting from the runway, the airplane turned left and then stalled. The witness lost visual contact with the airplane when it descended below a tree line. The airplane collided with terrain about 250 yards southwest of runway 4L. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the attachment fittings for the cowling on the right side were unlatched and not damaged. The left attachment fittings for the cowling were latched and deformed.
Factual narrative
On October 20, 2003, at 1618 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N9338W, collided with the ground while attempting to return to the Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona. The airplane was being operated by the owner/pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and passenger both sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The personal local flight was originating at the time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The flight departed from runway 22R. During the initial climb, the pilot reported a loose panel and tried to return to the airport. The airplane collided with terrain about 250 yards southwest of runway 4L.
A witness reported that the airplane departed with an open cowling. After lifting from the runway, the airplane turned left and then stalled. The witness lost visual contact with the airplane when it descended below a tree line.
Post accident examination of the airplane by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) revealed that the attachment fittings for the cowling on the right side were unlatched and not damaged. The left attachment fittings for the cowling were latched and deformed.
The IIC made repeated requests for the pilot to complete NTSB Form 6120.1/2 but no reply was received.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9338W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-11023
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- G. Scott Crosby
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Airport
- FFZ · Falcon Field, runway 4L, 3,801 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 50
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KFFZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.