Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, N7744T, accident occurred on March 4, 2026, near Phoenix-Deer Valley Airport (DVT/KDVT), Phoenix, Arizona

• Location: Phoenix, AZ 
• Accident Number: WPR26FA119 
• Date & Time: March 4, 2026, 07:21 Local 
• Registration: N7744T 
• Aircraft: Piper PA-28-140 
• Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Minor 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202601/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N7744T

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.

MD Helicopters MD530F (369FF), N530XX, fatal accident occurred on March 9, 2026, near Mojave, California

• Location: Mojave, CA 
• Accident Number: WPR26FA121 
• Date & Time: March 9, 2026, 15:17 Local 
• Registration: N530XX 
• Aircraft: MD HELICOPTERS INC 369FF 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal
•  Flight Conducted Under: Part 133: Rotorcraft ext. load

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202626/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N530XX

On March 9, 2026, about 1517 Pacific daylight time, an MD Helicopters 369FF, N530XX, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mojave, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 133 external load flight.

The helicopter was performing power line rope stringing operations between steel power transmission poles within a wind farm located in the foothills of the Tehachapi Mountains, about 6 miles west of Mojave.

The helicopter was equipped with a side hook mounted to the left side of the airframe just below the aft door, which was attached to a stringing rope. The operation required that the pilot maneuver the rope onto pulley blocks located at the end of the power pole cross arms. Depending on the location and type of block used, the pilot would either maneuver the rope into position unaided or have a technician in the bucket of a boom lift truck guide the rope in by hand.

The pilot had been flying since about 0730 that morning, and in the time leading up to the accident, he had performed multiple uneventful stringing operations.

For the accident flight, the pilot planned to guide a 600 ft length of rope into a stringing block mounted about 110 ft above ground level (agl), with the aid of a technician in the bucket. The boom truck operator and bucket technician were both in position as the helicopter lifted the rope which was already strung from a power pole about 600 ft south.

Both reported that operations up to that point were normal, and the helicopter was in a vertical climb, clear of obstructions, and carrying the full length of the rope from the adjacent pole. However, once the helicopter reached about 200 ft agl, the technician in the bucket heard a pop sound followed by silence. The truck operator, who was facing away from the helicopter, stated that he heard a pop and then whizzing sound, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the helicopter rapidly descending. The bucket technician watched as the helicopter rapidly descended, and the rope released from the hook. He stated that by the time the helicopter struck the ground, the main rotor blades had almost completely stopped spinning.

Both stated that they did not see any smoke or vapor trailing from the helicopter at any time up to the impact, nor did they hear any unusual sounds until the event. The helicopter did not contact any ropes, poles or cables at any time.

A witness located about 1/3 north-northwest and 100 ft above the site was in his truck at the time of the accident. He was not actively watching but looked up when the helicopter sound abruptly stopped. He could see the main rotor blades slowing as the helicopter rapidly descended, and as it approached the ground, he could see the helicopter yawing from side to side. It then struck the ground in a level attitude and erupted in flames. 

The helicopter came to rest in the northwest corner of a level dirt field, about 180 ft south of an east-west road. The field was bound to the north by a set of power transmission poles and lines, about 80 ft in height, and to the west by a parallel set of 195 ft tall power distribution poles that the crew were working on.

The helicopter came to rest right-side-down in the field, on a northeast heading. The tailboom and tail rotor assembly were largely intact, with almost no damage to the tail rotor blades. The rest of the structure forward of the engine bay sustained significant thermal damage, consuming the entire cabin, fuel tank, instrument panel, along with most of the flight controls and the lower section of the main transmission.

All five main rotor blades remained partially attached and equally spaced around the burnt remnants of the hub assembly on top of the main cabin. All blades exhibited similar upward bending deformation along their entire length, with almost no evidence of leading-edge gouges or chordwise scratches.

The airframe remnants, engine and transmission were retained for further examination.

Loss of engine power (partial): Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, N595ND, fatal accident occurred on March 30, 2024, at Treasure Coast International Airport (FPR/KFPR), Fort Pierce, Florida

• Location: Fort Pierce North, Florida 
• Accident Number: ERA24FA157 
• Date & Time: March 30, 2024, 13:20 Local
• Registration: N595ND 
• Aircraft: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-44-180 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial) 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional 

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194006/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194006

On March 30, 2024, at 1320 eastern daylight time, a twin-engine Piper PA-44-180 airplane, N595ND, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at the Treasure Coast International Airport (FPR), Fort Pierce, Florida. The flight instructor was fatally injured, and the pilot receiving instruction was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight.

The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction were practicing a simulated engine-out instrument approach with the left engine operating and the right engine at a reduced power setting. The approach terminated in a missed approach/go-around. According to the pilot receiving instruction, when he added power to go around, the airplane did not respond with the engine power commanded. He turned the airplane to the missed approach heading provided by air traffic control (ATC), and the flight instructor took control of the airplane, declared an emergency, and told ATC they were “single engine.”

The flight instructor continued to turn the airplane to the right in an attempt to return to the runway; however, the airplane continued to lose altitude, stalled, and impacted the ground on airport property. Although the pilot receiving instruction perceived that there was no thrust on either engine, data recovered from the airplane’s Avidyne multifunction display (MFD) and primary flight display (PFD) revealed that the left engine was producing full power and the right engine was producing partial power from the time the go-around was initiated to the time of impact.

Examination of the right engine revealed that the interlocking teeth of the serrated mating surfaces between the carburetor’s throttle arm and throttle control lever were not securely mated, such that the throttle control lever was loose and could be fully rotated without moving the throttle arm. The teeth on the throttle control lever side were rounded and worn down, consistent with the damage having occurred over a period of time. As such, when the right engine’s throttle was advanced to go around, the worn mating surface of throttle control lever likely did not engage with the mating surface on the carburetor throttle arm (to actuate the valve assembly in the carburetor), which prevented the right engine from obtaining full power.

The right engine had undergone an annual inspection the day before the accident, as required by 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.409. Per the regulation, such inspections must be performed in accordance with 14 CFR Part 43 and the aircraft approved for return to service by an authorized certificated mechanic. Part 43, Appendix D, paragraph (d)(6) explicitly mandates the inspection of the engine controls for “defects, improper travel, and improper safetying.”

The mechanic who endorsed the engine logbook for the inspection said that he thought he checked the security of the throttle arm during his inspection. He also said he understood that a loose and damaged throttle control component could result in a partial loss of engine power and that he was unsure how he missed it in his inspection. Therefore, due to the fact that the throttle control lever was loose and its serrated mating surface exhibited pre-existing damage, it is likely that the mechanic failed to properly check the security of the throttle control lever to the throttle arm when he inspected the engine.

The flight instructor was teaching single-engine emergency procedures; however, her actions were inconsistent with her being prepared to handle the partial loss of engine power on one engine after the initiation of the go-around. Per the pilot receiving instruction, the emergency checklist was never used, and the airplane was not configured to maintain flight. As a result, during the flight instructor’s attempted continuation of the go-around, the airplane’s airspeed decayed, and it stalled at a critically low altitude from which it was not possible to recover before ground impact.

- Probable Cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the multiengine airplane after a partial loss of engine power on one engine during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s failure to check the condition/security of the right engine’s carburetor throttle arm linkage during the annual inspection, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Aerodynamic stall/spin: Kolb Firestar KXP, N4443G, fatal accident occurred on March 7, 2024, at Illinois Valley Airport (3S4), Cave Junction, Oregon

• Location: Cave Junction, Oregon 
• Accident Number: WPR24FA104 
• Date & Time: March 7, 2024, 11:24 Local 
• Registration: N4443G 
• Aircraft: KOLB COMPANY FIRESTAR KXP 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal 

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193897/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193897

On March 7, 2024, about 1124 Pacific standard time, a Kolb Firestar KXP, N4443G, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cave Junction, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot had recently installed an overhauled engine and decided to depart for a local flight. Witnesses observed that the pilot was in good spirits and that, after takeoff, the airplane turned left to the northwest, about 500 ft above ground level (agl). The airplane continued to turn left back towards the airport environment on a 30° to 40° bank angle (to the southeast). The witnesses stated that they saw the airplane descend about 100 ft in a slightly nose-down pitch attitude and subsequently entered a 90° nose-down attitude toward the ground. The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest in an open field, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Multiple witnesses confirmed that the engine was producing power. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any mechanical anomalies to the airframe or engine.

The pilot’s toxicology results identified multiple potentially impairing substances including diphenhydramine, gabapentin, and venlafaxine, all of which may adversely and unpredictably interact with one another to cause sedation, decreased reaction time, and impaired cognition. Venlafaxine may induce mania in people with bipolar disorder if used on its own to treat depression without an additional mood stabilizing medication.

Based on information obtained from the patient’s family, the pilot had severe depression and bipolar disorder. The details of the pilot’s illness and his response to treatment are unknown. An episode documented by law enforcement the night before the accident was consistent with the pilot experiencing acute behavioral symptoms at that time. In people with bipolar disorder, the occurrence of acute symptoms decreases the threshold for further episodes, making the episodes occur more frequently if medical intervention is not provided. Additionally, bipolar disorder in people over 50 years of age increases the risk of cognitive defects including decreased executive function, impaired information processing speed, and impaired memory. 

Additionally, bipolar disorder is a disqualifying psychiatric condition that is required to be evaluated by a Federal Air Surgeon. The pilot never reapplied for a medical after he allowed it to lapse in 2002 and there are no records he was evaluated.

With the available evidence, it is not possible to discern to what degree the effects of the medications used, as opposed to the pilot’s bipolar disorder, contributed to the accident. The pilot’s coronary artery disease placed him at some increased risk of a sudden impairing or incapacitating cardiac event, such as angina, arrhythmia, or heart attack, but there was no autopsy evidence that such an event occurred. However, such an event does not leave reliable autopsy evidence if it occurs immediately before death. Thus, whether the pilot's coronary artery disease contributed to the crash cannot be determined. The pilot's use of multiple potentially impairing substances and his bipolar disorder likely would have contributed to a diminished state of health during any attempts to recover the airplane after control was lost, given the pilot's experience with the airplane and the circumstances of the accident. The airplane was likely in an uncoordinated left turn (skid) as it turned back toward the airport. The lower (left) wing entered an aerodynamic stall initially during this skidding left turn, resulting in a nose-down pitch attitude, as is typical of straight-wing airplanes. The FAA suggests a margin of at least 1,500 ft agl for single-engine airplanes to recover from a full stall. Although the pilot was a certificated flight instructor and experienced pilot, his use of potentially impairing substances and medical history likely influenced his reaction time to recover from the stall at 500 ft agl. There was insufficient evidence to ascertain the specific recovery inputs the pilot implemented. 

- Probable Cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of potentially impairing substances with bipolar disorder, which resulted in a decreased reaction time during a stall recovery at a low altitude.

Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power): Mooney M20E Super 21, N86UM, accident occurred on April 2, 2024, near Alpine, Arkansas

• Location: Alpine, Arkansas 
• Accident Number: CEN24LA145 
• Date & Time: April 2, 2024, 10:56 Local 
• Registration: N86UM 
• Aircraft: Mooney M20E 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) 
• Injuries: 1 Minor 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194020/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194020

On April 2, 2024, about 1056 central daylight time, a Mooney M20E airplane, N86UM, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Alpine, Arkansas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

During cruise flight in a gradual descent, the airplane’s two carbon monoxide (CO) detectors began alerting. The pilot closed the cabin panel vent and opened a small cockpit window and 4 overhead vents. The pilot’s concern “turned to intense worry and fear as [he] noticed a feeling of lethargy and confusion, sort of slow motion coupled with graying peripheral vision.” He attempted to open the cabin door but was unsuccessful. The pilot decided not to continue the flight to the nearest airport, which was about 30 miles from his position; he shut down the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. The pilot reported that after he shut down the engine, his symptoms gradually dissipated, and he did not lose consciousness. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted unsuitable terrain, nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. After the accident, the pilot took a photograph of his iPad, which displayed, “Caution, Sentry CO level is 79 ppm.”

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the exhaust pipe contained an existing repair weld that had multiple cracks. The cracks contained engine oil and exhaust soot deposits, indicating the cracks existed before impact. In addition, a cabin air scat tube displayed residual engine oil, black soot, and missing material in an area next to the exhaust pipe repair weld. The exhaust cracks and damaged scat tubing would have allowed exhaust gases to enter the airplane cabin. The cabin air system contained a junction box, and two of three outlet ducts were covered with sections from an aluminum beer can and hose clamps. The sections of the aluminum beer can were not approved components. The last inspection of the airplane occurred just over 9 months before the accident; the investigation was not able to determine how long the exhaust cracks and damaged tubing may have been present.

The pilot’s carboxyhemoglobin level of 1% that was measured less than 2 hours after the accident indicates that he was unlikely to have been experiencing CO poisoning during the off-airport landing or during his reported symptoms. Physiological responses to acute stress likely contributed to those symptoms.

Although the pilot did not likely experience CO poisoning, the CO alerts, cracked exhaust pipe, and damaged cabin air tubing indicate he likely was exposed to abnormally high CO concentrations in the cockpit air during the accident flight. Whether CO exposure leads to CO poisoning depends on exposure magnitude and duration, which is why pilots are encouraged to take early protective action when exposure is suspected.

- Probable Cause: The improper maintenance of the cabin air and exhaust system which resulted in a cracked exhaust pipe and damaged cabin air tubing, and the subsequent elevated carbon monoxide levels in the cockpit and a forced landing to unsuitable terrain after the pilot suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mooney M20F Executive 21, N7018V, incident occurred on March 25, 2026, at Greeneville Municipal Airport (GCY/KGCY), Greeneville, Tennessee

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N7018V

- History of Flight:
On March 25, 2026, at about 1041 local time, a privately-registered Mooney M20F Executive 21, N7018V, sustained unknown damage when it was involved in a gearup landing incident at Greeneville Municipal Airport (GCY/KGCY), Greeneville, Tennessee. The pilot was not injured. The local flight originated from the airport 1036 LT.

- Weather:

METAR KGCY 261415Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/08 A3017 RMK A01

METAR KGCY 261435Z AUTO 26003KT 10SM CLR 17/08 A3017 RMK A01

METAR KGCY 261455Z AUTO 27003KT 9SM CLR 18/08 A3017 RMK A01

Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six, N7081H, accident occurred on March 25, 2026, at Block Island State Airport (BID/KBID), New Shoreham, Rhode Island

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N7081H

- History of Flight:
On March 25, 2026, at about 1651 local time, a privately-registered Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee Six, N7081H, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at Block Island State Airport (BID/KBID), New Shoreham, Rhode Island. The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. The flight originated from Chatham Municipal Airport (KCQX), Chatham, Massachusetts, at 1404 LT.

The FAA reported: "Aircraft crashed in a field after attempting to land at BID." ADS-B data show that the airplane was landing on runway 28 (2502 x 100 ft). Additionally data points from flightaware show that the airplane most likely crashed west of the airport during an attempted go-around. The winds were from 190° at 14 knots.

Figure 1: ADS-B data