by Jim Timm
The following are the reports of aviation accidents and incidents that have occurred in Arizona from mid-January through February. We hope to use the following detailed accident/incident information to develop safety programs, briefings, and posters/flyers that would help pilots learn from the mistakes being made by others and be able to take the necessary action to prevent them from having similar occurrences.
The Accident/Incident report is a bit unusual this time. The number of Accidents is not very long, but the number of FAA reported incidents is rather long, so the overall result is that this report is a bit long.
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 should suit our purpose of trying to get an idea of what is happening out there so we can help make flying safer.
In the meantime, here are the results from the above sources.
Date: January 11, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Mesa Falcon Field (FFZ)
Type: Cessna Citation 510
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Unk. Pilot Certification
Blown Tire
When the Citation landed it blew out a tire, and the aircraft was towed off the runway.
Date: January 12, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Avra Valley (AVQ)
Type: Piper PA-28-235
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Student Pilot Certification
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
While landing the airplane ran off the runway, and there was no reported damage.
Date: January 13 , 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Near Tonopah (AZ85)
Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 2 Uninjuried
Private Pilot Certification
INFLIGHT POWER LOSS
The Cessna 172 declared an emergency due to a rough running engine and loss of oil pressure. They made an off-airport landing in a field 1 mile southeast of AZ85. There was no reported damage to the airplane.
Date: January 13, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Prescott (PRC)
Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 3 Uninjured
Unknown Pilot Certification
TAIL STRIKE
The pilot reported a tail strike upon landing. There was no damage reported to the aircraft or the runway.
Date: January 17, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Douglass-Bisbee (DUG)
Type: Cessna 210
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Unknown Pilot Certification
GEAR UP LANDING
The Cessna 210 made a gear up landing, and the extent of the damage was unknown
Date: January 19, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA)
Type: Cessna 182
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Comm/CFI Pilot Certification
STRUCK TAXIWAY LIGHT
The pilot reported he struck and broke a taxiway light. There was no damage to the airplane reported.
Date: January 21, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Prescott (PRC)
Type: Cessna 172
Injuries: 1 uninjured
Unknown Pilot Certification
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
While conducting touch and go landings, the pilot went off the runway. There was no damage reported to the airplane or airport.
Date: January 22, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Mesa Gateway Airport (IWA)
Type: Piper PA-28-140
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Private Pilot Certification
STRUCK AND DAMAGED CONSTRUCTION LIGHTS
While landing, the Piper struck and damaged construction lights on the edge of the center runway. Damage to the airplane was unreported.
Date: January 24, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Eloy (E60)
Type: Skydiver
Injuries: 1 Fatality
No Pilot Certification Required
PARACHUTE MALFUNCTION
Parachute failed to open for unknown reasons, and didn’t deploy reserve ‘chute.
Date: January 25, 2025
Source: FAA incident
Location: Quartzsite, AZ
Type: Paraglider
Injuries: 1 Serious Injury
Pilot Certification Not Required
STRUCK A TREE
While flying the Paraglider the pilot struck a tree, and a branch impaled the pilot’s throat causing serious injury. Damage to the Paraglider was unknown.
Date: January 25, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Goodyear Airport (GYR)
Type: Cessna 310
Injuries:1 Uninjured
Commercial Pilot Certification
WINDOW BLEW OUT INFLIGHT
The pilot reported a window blew out in flight, and they returned to GYR, and landed without incident.
Date: January 25, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Mesa Falcon Field (FFZ)
Type: Piper PA-28-181
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Student Pilot Certification
LOSS OF CONTROL TAXIING
The solo pilot landed and tried to exit onto a taxiway at excessive speed and went into the dirt. Ops. towed the aircraft to parking, and there was no damage to the airplane or airport.
Date: January 27, 2024
Source: FAA, NTSB Incident
Location: Gila Bend Airport (GBN)
Type: Piper PA-28R-180
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Unknown Pilot Certification
PROP STRIKE TAXIING
During night operation while taxiing the pilot experienced a prop strike, and the damage was determined to be minor.
Date: February 1, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Eloy (E60)
Type: Skydiver With Wing Suit
Injuries: 1 Fatality
No Pilot Certification Required
WING SUIT MALFUNCTION
The skydiver with a wing suit made a normal exit from the aircraft, but the skydiver experienced an unknown malfunction.
Date: February 3, 2025
Source: ASN
Location: Mesa Falcon Field (FFZ)
Type: Mooney M20K 231
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Private Pilot Certification
HARD LANDING
The airplane departed Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT) and subsequently made a hard landing at Mesa Falcon Field (FFZ) and had a prop strike. No other damage was reported.
Date: February 6, 2025
Source: ASN
Location: Grand Canyon Airport (GCN)
Type: Cessna T207 Turbo Stationair 8
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
UNK. Pilot Certification.
NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE
The aircraft suffered a nose gear collapse on departure.
Date: February 8, 2025
Source: ASN
Location: Chandler (CHD)
Type: Piper PA-28-160 Cherokee
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
Commercial Pilot Certification
L0SS OF CONTROL LANDING
The aircraft was performing touch and go landings when the pilot lost control of the aircraft, went off the runway, and ground looped. There was no report of damage to the aircraft.
Date: February 8, 2025
Source: FAA Incident
Location: Tucson Ryan Field (RYN)
Type: Cozy III
Injuries: 1 Uninjured
Commercial/CFI Pilot Certification
GEAR UP LANDING
The pilot landed gear up. After coming to a stop, the pilot got out and reconfigured the landing gear, and taxied to parking without assistance. There was no aircraft or airport damage reported.
Date: February 9, 2025
Source: ASN, FAA
Location: Near Salome, AZ
Type: Cessna 140
Injuries: 1 Minor Injuries
UNK. Pilot Certification.
INFLIGHT LOSS OF POWER
While in flight the aircraft experienced engine issues, and in the process of making an emergency off airport landing, the left wing clipped a tree during the landing. The extent of damage was substantial.
Date: February 10, 2025
Source: APA Member, ASN, FAA, NTSB
Location: Scottsdale Airport (SDL)
Type: Lear Jet 35A
Injuries: 1 Fatality, 2 Serious Injuries, 1 Minor injury, 1 Uninjured
ATP Pilot Certification
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The aircraft departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and during the landing at Scottsdale, the Lear Jet veered off the runway and struck a parked Gulfstream 200. During the landing, the left main landing gear detached from the airplane which resulted in the runway excursion.
Date: February 13, 2025
Source: APA Members, ASN
Location: Buckeye Airport (BXK)
Type: Technam P2010
Injuries: 3 Uninjured
UNK. Pilot Certification.
LOSS OF CONTROL LANDING
The TECNAM P2010 departed Scottsdale airport and experienced a runway excursion during the landing at Buckeye airport. The aircraft experienced minor damage.
Date: February 16, 2023
Source: ASN
Location: Near Flagstaff
Type: Cessna T210 Centurion
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
UNK. Pilot Certification.
INFLIGHT LOSS OF POWER
After departing Sun Valley Airport, the airplane experienced engine issues near Flagstaff, and made a safe emergency landing in a field.
Date: February 19, 2023
Source: ASN
Location: Marana (AVQ)
Type: Lancair 360 MK II
Injuries: 2 Fatalities
UNK. Pilot Certification.
MID AIR COLLISION
The experimental Lancair 360 Mk II, was a kit built by Michal S. Reinath, and was performing circuits, and a Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP were involved in a mid-air collision over Marana Regional Airport (AVQ).
The Lancair departed Eagle Roost Airpark (27AZ), destined for Marana Regional Airport, and was performing circuits at 2100 ft, and the Cessna was on final approach to runway 12 with the Lancair closing in on the Cessna. After landing, the Cessna appears to have initiated a takeoff with the Lancair going around until both data points merge just southeast of the runway. The Lancair crashed and both occupants perished. The Cessna was able to continue and landed safely after completing a traffic pattern.
Date: February 19, 2023
Source: ASN
Location: Marana (AVQ)
Type: Cessna 172S Skyhawk
Injuries: 2 Uninjured
UNK. Pilot Certification.
MID AIR COLLISION
A Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP which had departed Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD), and a Lancair 360 were involved in a mid-air collision at Marana Regional Airport (AVQ).
The ADS-B data suggests a Lancair 360, and a Cessna 172S were involved. Both aircraft were on final approach to the runway at AVQ with the Lancair closing in on the Cessna. After landing, the Cessna appears to have initiated a takeoff with the Lancair going around until both data points merge just southeast of the runway. The Lancair crashed while the Cessna was able to continue and landed safely after completing a traffic pattern.