A small aircraft that crashed into two residences in Phoenix last month, injuring three individuals, likely lost engine power shortly after takeoff, according to federal investigators.
The National Transportation Safety Board revealed in their preliminary findings that the Piper PA-28-140 experienced a significant decline in engine performance soon after taking off from Deer Valley Airport on March 4. This forced the flight instructor to attempt an emergency return.
The aircraft, which included a flight instructor and a student pilot, had reached an altitude of approximately 1,700 feet before attempting to return to the airport. However, the plane was unable to make it back.
According to the report, the engine’s RPM dropped to around 600 to 700, coupled with vibrations, before briefly stabilizing. Despite efforts by the pilot to regain power, the engine’s condition continued to worsen and completely failed just 5 to 10 seconds before the crash.
The crash occurred on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, with both the student pilot and the instructor on board. They sustained injuries and were transported to a hospital for medical care. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
Investigators examined surveillance footage from the neighborhood, which depicted the small plane flying low over homes before executing a shallow right turn and dropping its right wing. The wing collided with the roof of one home before crashing into an exterior wall of a second, adjacent house. The aircraft eventually settled in the backyard of the second residence.
A man inside a home was taken to a hospital for injuries after the crash. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
Aerial footage of the aftermath showed wreckage scattered across the roof, including the plane’s right wing still lodged in the roof, while the fuselage sat crumpled in the backyard.
Hazmat crews responded to the scene after fuel leaked from the crashed plane. (FOX10 Phoenix KSAZ)
The crash shocked residents, one of whom described the impact to FOX10 Phoenix as sounding like “a bomb went off.”
The NTSB said weather conditions were clear at the time, ruling out environmental factors and pointing attention toward mechanical issues as a key focus of the investigation.
Investigators are now examining the engine and wreckage, which has been recovered to a secure facility, to determine what caused the loss of power.
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