Federal investigators began tracing the final minutes of a small airplane that crashed shortly after leaving Chandler Municipal Airport on July 28, killing the pilot and igniting into flames in a nearby commercial yard.
The pilot was the only person aboard the Piper PA-28-180 and was pronounced dead at the scene, Chandler Police Department spokesperson Ryan Cody said. No one on the ground was injured.
The plane went down at about 7:49 p.m., shortly after takeoff, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway said. The cause of the crash remained unknown.
An initial Federal Aviation Administration accident notice described the flight as personal and listed the aircraft in the takeoff phase.
Chandler Fire Department Battalion Chief
Jeff West said firefighters put out flames at the crash site near Hamilton and Queen Creek roads.
Firefighters confirmed the death before turning the scene over to police. The pilot had not been publicly identified as of July 29.
What's next for the investigation?
An NTSB investigator will document the scene and examine the aircraft, which will be transported to a secure facility.
Investigators will review the pilot, the plane and the conditions around the flight. They plan to collect air traffic control recordings, radar data, weather reports, witness accounts, video and any electronic devices.
They also will examine the aircraft’s maintenance history and the pilot’s license, ratings and recent flight experience.
The NTSB asked witnesses and anyone with video or other information to contact the agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report on the probable cause and any contributing factors could take 12 to 24 months.
What kind of plane crashed in Chandler?
The plane was identified as a Piper PA-28-180, a four-seat, single-propeller-driven aircraft.
Rey Covarrubias Jr. is a reporter for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@azcentral.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What's next in the investigation of the fatal Chandler plane crash?
