Piper PA-28-140 N7744T

Summary

On 4 March 2026 at about 14:21 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N7744T was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

4 March 2026 at 14:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT)

Coordinates

33.6959, -112.0397

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N7744T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26FA119

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On March 4, 2026, about 0721 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N7744T, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. The flight instructor was seriously injured, and the student pilot and one person on the ground sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Preliminary ADS-B data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the airplane departed from runway 07R at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT), Phoenix, Arizona, about 0715, and continued on the upwind leg for about 1.5 miles before making a slight left turn toward the northeast. According to the student pilot, the flight was destined for the northeast practice area. About 0719, at an altitude of about 1,700 ft above ground level, ADS-B data showed that the airplane initiated a left turn to the west in the direction of DVT. The airplane subsequently entered a gradual descent and continued a southwestern track toward DVT for about 2.8 miles. According to the flight instructor, after the onset of engine power loss, he made a radio call to the DVT tower to advise them of the situation and his intention to return to the airport. He reported that the engine rpm decreased to about 600–700 rpm, accompanied by rough vibrations. He applied full throttle and leaned the mixture, which resulted in a slight increase in engine rpm. He then configured the airplane for best glide speed while continuing toward DVT. The flight instructor stated that during the return flight, the engine continued to produce reduced power. About 5 to 10 seconds before impact, the engine lost power completely. A review of video footage from a nearby residential home security camera captured the airplane approaching the accident site at a low altitude. The airplane subsequently entered a shallow right turn, followed by an increase in pitch, after which the right wing dropped. The airplane impacted the roof of a residence and subsequently struck an exterior wall of an adjacent second residence, before it came to rest in the second home's backyard. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted a residential neighborhood about 2 miles northeast of DVT. The fuselage, along with the left wing, came to rest on the ground at the base of a house in a near-vertical, nose-down attitude on a magnetic heading of approximately 052°. The right wing was separated and remained lodged within the roof of the first residence. Wreckage debris remained within about 20 ft of the wreckage, which included the right-wing flap, the nose landing gear, as well as fragments of fuselage skin. The engine and propeller assembly remained attached to the airframe and was compressed upward and to the right. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.