Plane Crash in Phoenix Under Investigation

A small aircraft that crashed into two homes in Phoenix last month, injuring three individuals, seems to have experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff, according to federal investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report indicating that shortly after the Piper PA-28-140 took off from Deer Valley Airport on March 4, the engine’s performance began to decline rapidly, prompting the flight instructor to attempt an emergency return.

The plane, which was occupied by a flight instructor and a student pilot, ascended to about 1,700 feet but did not make it back to the airport.

The report described the engine’s speed dropping to around 600 to 700 rpm. It began to vibrate but stabilized momentarily. Despite the pilot’s efforts to regain power, the situation worsened, and the engine completely failed just moments before the crash.

Surveillance footage from the neighborhood showed the small plane flying dangerously low over a house, making a shallow right turn and lowering its right wing. This wing hit the roof of one house and then collided with the exterior wall of a neighboring structure before coming to rest in the backyard of another villa.

Aerial images following the crash revealed debris scattered across the roofs, including the crumpled plane in a backyard with its right wing embedded in a roof.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene due to fuel leakage from the crashed aircraft.

This incident startled the local community, with one resident remarking that the sound of the impact resembled “a bomb going off.”

As the investigation continues, the NTSB has ruled out weather issues since conditions were clear at the time. They are now focusing on mechanical failures.

Investigators are currently examining the engine and wreckage, which has been moved to a secure site, to pinpoint the reason behind the loss of power.