Piper PA-20 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 23, 2025
On August 23, 2025 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1950 Piper PA-20, registered N7050K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was an instructional 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
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2025 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20, built 1950 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7050K · registry record · serial 20-158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor, seated in the right seat, and the tailwheel-endorsed pilot receiving instruction, seated in the left seat, were conducting an instructional flight in the pilot’s recently purchased, tailwheel-equipped, airplane. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot receiving instruction to gain operational experience in the airplane to satisfy insurance requirements. The pilot receiving instruction reported that, while performing a three-point landing, she bounced during the initial touchdown and, after settling back onto the runway, subsequently lost directional control of the airplane. Both the pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor attempted to recover; however, the airplane ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot receiving instruction reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 348.5 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 290 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,830.1 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 18.6 in the last 30 days; 3,708.9 as pilot in command; 1,107.6 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 7, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,560.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 2,406 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from AMR, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAMR 231953Z 32004KT 10SM CLR 17/11 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP223 T01670111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 22, 2026. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.