Piper PA-18-150 accident near Meeker, Colorado, July 3, 2025
On July 3, 2025 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA-18-150, registered N66898, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Meeker, Colorado (Meeker Airport). 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing. 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
- July 3, 2025 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Meeker, Colorado · Meeker Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1975 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N66898 · registry record · serial 18-7509091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were completing a soft field landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane. The student pilot landed in a 3-point configuration and the airplane bounced so he increased the throttle and applied forward control input. The airplane then turned left, and the student pilot overcorrected to the right. The flight instructor attempted to correct with opposite rudder and brake; however, the airplane exited the right side of the runway, which resulted in a left main landing gear collapse. The left wing subsequently struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. Both pilots 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,784 hours in all; 198 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 11.5 in the last 30 days; 18,217 as pilot in command; 575 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 3, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 27.7 in the last 90 days; 11.5 in the last 30 days; 11.4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,522.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KEEO Meeker CO at 1:00 pm
- Destination: KEEO Meeker CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03/2, 6,503 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 3013.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 am from KEEO
Weather report (METAR): KEEO 031353Z AUTO 13010KT 10SM CLR 17/06 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP108 T01670061
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N66898 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.