Amateur-built NORTHERN EXPLORER accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, August 6, 2025
On August 6, 2025 at about 4:00 am local time, a 2015 amateur-built NORTHERN EXPLORER, registered N907BT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Delta Junction, 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain obstacle clearance during landing, which resulted in an impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2025 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Delta Junction, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NORTHERN EXPLORER, built 2015
- Registration
- N907BT · registry record · serial 072515
- 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 he landed on an off-airport remote gravel airstrip surrounded by trees in a tailwheel-equipped airplane and the left wing struck a stand of trees during the landing rollout. The airplane turned left, and the right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,616 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 5, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Titan 340 (piston); 291 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAAN Fairbanks AK at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ABI, 52 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PABI 060353Z 24005KT 10SM FEW040 FEW060 SCT120 SCT160 19/11 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP132 SHRA DSNT SW T01940106 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N907BT 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 ANC25LA106.