Piper PA-28-181 N3044U

Summary

On 2 September 2024 at about 08:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N3044U, operated by Bird Acquisition LLC DBA, was involved in an accident near Yuma, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2024 at 08:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Yuma, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Yuma Marine Corps Air Station/ (KNYL)

Coordinates

32.6566, -114.6060

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N3044U

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Bird Acquisition LLC DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Yuma

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24LA306

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from a fence during taxi operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor, she was taxiing with a student when she took control and made a left turn to position the airplane between a fence and a fuel station. However, she reported that during the left turn, she misjudged the airplane’s clearance and the airplane’s left wing struck the fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The flight instructor reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.