NTSB Factual Report

On November 25, 2015, about 1000 mountain standard time, a Piper PA 28-140, N7PM, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power near Wickenburg Municipal Airport (E25), Wickenburg, Arizona. The private pilot and flight instructor were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed from E25 about 0900. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the pilot with the airplane prior to his purchase of it. At the conclusion of the flight, they returned to E25 to conduct practice takeoffs and landings. While on the base leg of the traffic pattern for landing on runway 5, the flight instructor attempted to apply engine power, but the engine did not respond. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and was able to produce a response from the engine by "pumping" the throttle; however, the airplane could not reach the runway, and the flight instructor conducted a forced landing to desert terrain. The airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and empennage. About 20 gallons of blue-colored fuel was drained from the right wing fuel tank. The left wing fuel tank was breached during the accident sequence.

The airplane was recovered to a secure storage facility for examination at a later date.