Piper PA-22-150 accident near Chinitna Bay, Alaska, July 1, 2025
On July 1, 2025, a 1960 Piper PA-22-150, registered N3609Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Chinitna Bay, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- July 1, 2025
- Place
- Chinitna Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150, built 1960 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3609Z · registry record · serial 22-7497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 30, 2025, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA 22-150 airplane, N3609Z, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Chinitna Bay, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, while en route he heard two or three loud “thuds” followed by reduced rudder control. He said that the airplane began to yaw back and forth and increased when he added engine power. The pilot made the decision to perform a precautionary landing on a remote beach. During the landing the right wheel touched down first, and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot said that he had no rudder control and attempted to correct with left aileron to no avail, subsequently the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, lift struts and rudder. Examination of the airframe is pending the recovery of the wreckage.
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 2025; 50 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: PSXQ Soldonta AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PSXQ Soldonta AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PAIL, 57 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAIL 010053Z 13004KT 10SM BKN085 14/10 A2999 RMK NOSPECI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 ANC25LA060.