Piper PA-24-260 accident near Ashland, Wisconsin, June 24, 2025
On June 24, 2025 at about 4:21 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA-24-260, registered N8817P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ashland, Wisconsin (John F Kennedy Meml airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear before landing and his failure to conduct the before landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2025 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Wisconsin · John F Kennedy Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260, built 1965 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8817P · registry record · serial 24-4273
- 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 the flight was a local sightseeing flight with a passenger. They departed the pilot’s home base airport and flew at a lower level than normal for sightseeing purposes. They planned to land at another airport for lunch and due to the low level of the flight the pilot’s normal routine was disrupted and he did not perform his normal pre-landing checks. He stated that the landing was normal until the propeller blades struck the runway. After the airplane slid to a stop, he realized that he had not placed the landing gear selector in the “down” position. He stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage.
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 not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARV Woodruff WI at 3:14 pm
- Destination: ASX Ashland WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13/3, 3,498 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KASX
Weather report (METAR): KASX 241553Z AUTO 02008KT 10SM CLR 20/11 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP238 T02000111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture 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 September 26, 2025. 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 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | 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.