# NTSB WPR26LA022: Flight Design Ctsw, N531CT, Casa Grande, AZ, October 17, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: October 17, 2025, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place: Casa Grande, AZ
- Coordinates: 32.995, -111.767 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9950&lon=-111.7670&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201895
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA022
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201895/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA022

## Preliminary report

On October 17, 2025, about 13:20 mountain standard time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, N531CT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Casa Grande, Arizona. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91personal flight. The pilot reported that he sumped the fuel and found no water or contaminants, then verified 12 gallons of fuel on board by viewing the fuel sight tubes at the root of the overhead wings. The engine runup, departure and climb were uneventful. About 25 minutes into the flight the engine speed slowed unexpectedly and advancing the throttle did not change the engine speed. About 15 seconds later the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted three restarts. During the first restart, the engine started and ran normally for about 5 to 10 seconds then lost total power. During the second restart, the engine ran with partial power for about 5 to 10 seconds followed by a total loss of power. The engine did not start on the third attempt. The pilot maneuvered toward the destination airport and transmitted a mayday call over the radio. The pilot realized that there was insufficient altitude to reach the airport and performed an off-airport landing on desert scrub. Upon touchdown the airplane nosed-over which substantially damaged the fuselage and rudder assembly. The pilot exited the airplane unassisted. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N531CT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N531CT), registered now, S/N 06-12-11, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Flight Design GMBH CTSW (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Flight Design CTSW](https://openairdocs.org/model/flight-design-ctsw) (registry code 0600001) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 06-12-11
- Year built: 2006
- Airframe hours: 505
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 31, 2024
- Departed: FFZ, Mesa, AZ
- Destination: RYN, Tucson, AZ
- Airport: CGZ, Casa Grande Municipal, runway 5, 5,200 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Airframe parachute, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observed at: CGZ, 3 nm away
- METAR: METAR KCGZ 171956Z AUTO 29007KT 10SM CLR 25/07 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP120 T02500067 PNO $=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20251017017319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251017017319A), Oct 17, 2025: Flight Design Gmbh CTSW, Casa Grande, AZ, Substantial damage. The pilot reported an engine failure then attempted to make it to Casa Grande airport (cgz) . The aircraft landed just short of the runway. The pilot was…

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.

---
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.