Pilot dead after small plane crashes near Chandler Municipal Airport

The pilot of a small plane died in a crash shortly after taking off from Chandler Municipal Airport on Tuesday night, authorities said.

The Chandler Fire Department confirmed one fatality. The identity of the pilot has not been released.

The Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee aircraft crashed into a commercial yard about 7:50 p.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board, the federal agency charged with investigating aviation accidents. The PA-28-180 is a single-engine, four-seat model designed for training and personal use.

Chandler Municipal Airport is located just south of the Loop 202 Santan Freeway between Germann and Queen Creek roads, east of McQueen Road.

The plane went down just south of Queen Creek Road on Hamilton Street, west of the airport, the fire department said.

An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive in Chandler on Wednesday to examine the plane at the crash site. The aircraft will then be moved to a secure facility for further investigation.

The NTSB will gather and evaluate information and records about the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment as part of its investigation.

Anybody who saw the plane go down, has surveillance video or can provide other information about the crash is asked to contact investigators at witness@ntsb.gov.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kylie Warner contributed to this report.

This is an updated version of a story originally published July 28, 2026.

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