Piper PA-14 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, November 8, 2025
On November 8, 2025 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1949 Piper PA-14, registered N5188H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Talkeetna, 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
- November 8, 2025 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14, built 1949 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N5188H · registry record · serial 14-506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 8, 2025 about 1300 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-14 airplane, N5188H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed the Willow Airport (PAUO), Willow, Alaska after having wheel skis installed and was flying to Talkeetna Airport (PATK) Talkeetna Alaska. The pilot stated that he was about 3 miles to the south of PATK and was beginning his descent to land, he reported pulling full carburetor heat and shortly thereafter the engine lost all power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a gravel bar three miles from PATK. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: PAUO Willow AK at 9:40 pm
- Destination: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 120 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from PATK, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PATK 081257Z AUTO 02003KT 1SM -SN BR VV012 M03/M04 A2977 RMK AO2 P0000 T10331039 TSNO $,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5188H 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC26LA006.