Piper PA-22-160 accident near Homer, Alaska, August 19, 2025
On August 19, 2025 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1958 Piper PA-22-160, registered N9314D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Homer, Alaska (Sheep River Airstrip airport). 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 failure of the left main landing gear mount due to extensive corrosion while landing in an area of rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2025 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homer, Alaska · Sheep River Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160, built 1958 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9314D · registry record · serial 22-6325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at a remote airstrip, the airplane encountered an area of rough and uneven terrain and the main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to both wing lift struts and the fuselage near the left main landing gear mount. After exiting the airplane, the pilot observed that the left main gear had fractured at the fuselage attach point. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Photos of the fracture surfaces from the main landing gear spring and fuselage attach point exhibited features that were consistent with extensive corrosion. It is likely that a fatigue crack initiated due to the corrosion damage at the fracture origin.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 75.3 hours in all; 73.4 in this make and model; 44.5 in the last 90 days; 21.4 in the last 30 days; 48.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2024; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 950 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOM Homer AK at 2:45 pm
- Destination: HOM Homer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from AHO, 28 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAHO 191553Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/09 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP130 T01220094
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9314D 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 ANC25LA087.