Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Big Lake, Alaska, June 24, 2025
On June 24, 2025 at about 5:34 pm local time, a 1977 Piper PA-32R-300, registered N3609Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Big Lake, Alaska (Big Lake Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2025 · about 5:34 pm local time
- Place
- Big Lake, Alaska · Big Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300, built 1977 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3609Q · registry record · serial 32R-7780319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 24, 2025, about 0934 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N3609Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska. The pilot and flight instructor were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane departed from the Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) at about 0900 on a training flight with about 60 gallons of fuel on board. A witness at the Big Lake Airport (BGQ) reported seeing the airplane over the trees on the south end of the runway. The airplane made a sharp left turn towards the runway impacting the ground just north of the runway. A first responder reported the pilot stated the airplane ran out of fuel. The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigator-in-charge’s on-scene wreckage examination revealed the right wing fuel tank contained about 22 gallons of fuel. The left-wing fuel tank connection was damaged from impact and no fuel was observed in the left wing. The available position of the fuel selector in the cockpit is OFF, LEFT TANK, and RIGHT TANK. According to the owner of the airplane, the pilot would have started the flight in the RIGHT TANK position. The fuel selector was found in the OFF position and was jammed from impact damage, which would not allow movement after the accident. (Figure 1). Figure 1. View of airplane fuel selector.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2024; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: PAAQ Palmer AK at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,450 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 9:28 am from PAWS, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 241728Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN010 OVC070 14/14 A2985 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N3609Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC25LA055.