N5393W accident

On October 22, 2026, about 1510 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-160 airplane, N5393W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Claremore, Oklahoma. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

ADS-B data indicated that the flight departed from runway 18 at the Claremore Regional Airport (GCM) about 1431. The flight proceeded about 21 miles northeast of the airport at altitudes of up to about 3,500 feet mean sea level (msl). About 1455, the airplane reversed course and began to return to the airport. The final ADS-B data point was recorded at 1509:41 and was located about 2.08 miles east-southeast of GCM. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot leveled out at 2,500 feet to clear a tower about 5 miles east of the airport. After passing the tower, the student pilot continued the descent toward the airport traffic pattern. Shortly after reporting their position and intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), the engine lost power, although the propeller continued to windmill. Movement of the throttle control had no effect, and the flight instructor’s efforts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. At that point, the flight instructor set up for and executed a forced landing to a field about 2 miles east-southeast of the airport. Upon touching down on the field, he attempted to keep the nose wheel off the ground as long as possible. However, once the nose wheel touched down, it dug into the soft ground and collapsed.

The airplane came to rest upright with damage to the fuselage, left wing, and nose landing gear. Airframe and engine examinations are planned once the airplane is recovered from the accident site.