12 News reported a crash landing at Mesa Gateway Airport involving a plane carrying two people. According to the report, the aircraft had to land without landing gear. Both people on board were able to self-extricate, and no injuries were reported. No findings about cause have been released, and nothing here should be read as a conclusion about what went wrong or who is responsible.
When an aircraft lands without its landing gear and everyone walks away, the absence of reported injuries does not close the legal question. Liability for an aviation incident can rest with a pilot, an aircraft owner, a maintenance provider, a parts manufacturer, a charter operator, or a public entity that runs the airfield, and sorting that out usually requires records that only a formal investigation or a preservation demand will produce. Arizona gives most injury plaintiffs two years from the date of the incident to file suit under A.R.S. § 12-542, and claims against a public entity or its employees require a written notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. Injuries that feel minor at the scene, including back strain, head impact, and hearing damage, often declare themselves days later. Getting evaluated and preserving the maintenance and flight records early protects a claim that may not seem necessary yet.
The Two Deadlines That Matter Most in Arizona
The general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit in Arizona is two years from the date of the injury under A.R.S. § 12-542. That is the outer limit, not a target. Evidence in an aviation matter degrades quickly: aircraft get repaired or scrapped, maintenance logs get boxed up, and memories fade.
If any potential defendant is a public entity or a public employee, a much shorter clock controls. Under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, you must serve a written notice of claim within 180 days after the cause of action accrues. The notice has to state the facts supporting the claim, state a specific amount for which the claim can be settled, and explain the facts supporting that amount. Miss the 180 days and the claim is barred, even though the two-year window under A.R.S. § 12-542 has not run. Because airports and airfield operations in Arizona often involve public entities, this deadline should be identified immediately rather than assumed inapplicable.
If more than one party contributed to an incident, Arizona applies pure comparative fault under A.R.S. § 12-2505. Recovery is reduced by a claimant's own percentage of fault but is not eliminated by it. A party told informally that they share blame should understand that an accusation is not a finding, and that a percentage assigned by an insurer is a negotiating position, not a verdict.
"No Injuries Reported" Is a Scene Observation, Not a Diagnosis
First responders record what they can see and what people tell them in the first few minutes. Adrenaline suppresses pain. Concussions, soft tissue injuries, disc injuries, and hearing damage frequently present hours or days afterward. A report that nobody was hurt is accurate as to that moment and tells you nothing about the following week.
Get evaluated by a physician promptly, even if you feel fine, and describe the mechanism of the event rather than just the symptom. A gap between the date of an incident and the first medical visit is the most common argument an insurer uses to suggest an injury came from something else. Keep every discharge instruction, imaging order, and bill. Follow through on referrals. If symptoms change, say so in writing to your provider so the record reflects the progression.
Practical Steps in the First Weeks
- Write down your own account while it is fresh, including what you observed before, during, and after, and keep it for yourself rather than posting it publicly.
- Photograph anything in your possession that relates to the event, including your clothing, personal property, and any visible injuries as they develop.
- Request copies of official reports once they are available, and keep the request confirmations.
- Send written preservation requests for maintenance records, inspection logs, and any recorded data before routine retention policies allow them to be discarded.
- Decline to give a recorded statement to any insurer until you understand what is being claimed and by whom.
- Do not sign a release or accept a quick payment in exchange for closing your claim before you know whether you are injured.
- Calendar both the 180-day notice of claim deadline under A.R.S. § 12-821.01 and the two-year deadline under A.R.S. § 12-542, and treat the earlier one as the operative date.
Aviation matters also involve federal investigative processes that run on their own timeline. Those investigations do not pause Arizona's deadlines, and waiting for a final report before taking any step is a common and costly mistake.
If you were on board, on the ground, or related to someone who was, our Mesa injury and accident attorneys can walk you through which deadline applies to your situation.