by Jim Timm
The following is a report of the aviation accidents and incidents that occurred in Arizona from late August through late September. We hope the following detailed accident information can be used to develop safety programs and briefings that would help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and take the necessary action to prevent them from having similar occurrences.
In this reporting period aviation safety was not as good as it could have been. The number of accidents were not good. While there may have been injuries in some cases, there were also accidents that resulted in fatalities. Unfortunately, near the end of the reporting period there were three accidents that claimed the lives of five people.
In continuing with the expanded scope of the report, we’re using information from the Aviation Safety Network (ASN), FAA, NTSB, and APA Members. This more inclusive information source better suits our purpose of trying to get an idea of what is happening out there so we can try to make flying safer.
In the meantime, here are the current results from the above sources.
Date: August 12, 2022
Source: FAA
Location: Chandler (CHD)
Type: Piper PA44-180
Injuries: UNK Uninjured
MULTI ENGINE AIRCRAFT INFLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE
The Piper PA44-180 Seminole called the tower 15 NM southwest of the airport, reported an engine out, and requested Priority Handling. The controller providing services declared an emergency and a crash alert was initiated. Emergency services were available before the aircraft touched down. The PA44 landed without incident and taxied to parking under their own power, and the emergency was terminated.
Date: August 14, 2022
Source: FAA
Location: Phoenix (PHX)
Type: Piper PA 28-140
Injuries: 4 Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The Piper diverted to Sky Harbor (PHX) due to a severe dust storm, and while landing in the windy conditions, the aircraft went off the runway and into the runway safety area. The aircraft sustained damage to the right wing tip and scrapes to the underside of the wing. The total extent of the damage was unknown. Cutter Aviation stated that the PIC flew the damaged airplane out the next morning despite their cautions about the scrapes and wingtip damage.
Date: August 15, 2022
Source: FAA
Location: Chandler (CHD)
Type: Piper PA44-180
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
MULTI ENGINE AIRCRAFT INFLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE
The Piper PA44-180 Seminole called the tower 12 NM southwest of the airport and reported single engine operation. The Piper made a straight in approach to RWY 4L and landed without issue and taxied to parking under their own power. (This was the same aircraft with a similar issue days earlier.)
Date: September 4, 2022
Source: FAA
Location: Mesa (FFZ)
Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: UNK Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The Cessna landed and went off the runway into the safety area and into the grass and dirt. The pilot taxied back onto the runway and to parking without further incident.
Date: Sept 7, 2022
Source: FAA
Location: Gateway (IWA)
Type: Cessna 750 Citation
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
On a flight from Tucson to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport (IWA) the aircraft declared an emergency due to the landing gear being stuck in the down position. While landing at IWA the aircraft exited the left side of the runway into the infield areas due to a blown left tire causing the landing gear to collapse. The extent of damage was undetermined.
Date: Sept 13, 2022
Source: FAA, NTSB, ASN
Location: Seligman
Type: Piper PA46-310P
Injuries: 2 Fatalities
CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN
The Piper Malibu departed Albuquerque - Double Eagle Airport (AEG) and was destroyed after it went missing and crashed in a remote area north of Seligman. The aircraft went off the FAA RADAR screen at approximately 11:48 am north of Seligman. Per information available, the pilot may have been a student pilot. (More details should be available by the next reporting period.)
Date: Sept 16, 2022
Source: NTSB, ASN
Location: Sentinel
Type: Vans RV-6A
Injuries: 2 Fatalities
UNKNOWN
The circumstances of the accident were unknown at the time the report was prepared. The airplane was significantly damaged by a post-accident fire. (More details should be available in the next report.)
Date: Sept 26, 2022
Source: ASN
Location: Mesa (FFZ)
Type: Robinson R22 Beta
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
HARD LANDING
The Robinson crashed while practicing auto-rotations in a desert area on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation, about 4.5 miles north Falcon Field (KFFZ), Mesa, and was destroyed. The aircraft came from Falcon Field where it was based.
Date: Sept 28, 2022
Source: NTSB, FAA, ASN
Location: Sahuarita Flying Diamond (6AZ8)
Type: Grumman American AA-5B Tiger
Injuries: 1 Fatality
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The Grumman Tiger crashed near Sahuarita, short of the runway southeast of Flying Diamond Airpark. No other information was available.