Piper PA-22-150 accident near Sagwon, Alaska, August 25, 2024
On August 25, 2024 at about 4:45 am local time, a 1956 Piper PA-22-150, registered N6815B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sagwon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the landing gear fitting at the fuselage attachment point to due to a poor weld joint.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2024 · about 4:45 am local time
- Place
- Sagwon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150, built 1956 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6815B · registry record · serial 22-4111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was landing on a remote, rough and uneven gravel bar in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the landing roll, the left wing suddenly dipped, and it subsequently struck the gravel bar, sustaining substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed that the left main landing gear had separated. Examination of the separated landing gear revealed the fractured areas of the weld at the fuselage attachment point exhibited rounded, reflected features consistent with a lack of fusion. In addition, there were areas that were absent of weld material along the circumferential or peripheral area, consistent with a lack of fusion. According to maintenance records the weld was from a landing gear conversion about 11 years prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,201 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 2,202 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 29, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,213 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 2,213 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Happy Valley AK at 4:25 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from ASC, 33 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PASC 250426Z 27012KT 10SM FEW010 BKN028 OVC048 04/02 A2976 RMK AO2 T00440022 PNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of airplane where it came to rest.
Photograph 2 – View of the airplane and the separated landing gear.
Photograph 3 – View of separated left main landing gear.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 29, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.