Alon A2 accident near Pipestone, Minnesota, July 20, 2025
On July 20, 2025 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1965 Alon A2, registered N6557Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pipestone, Minnesota (Pipestone Muni airport). 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 failure of the left brake to release due to corrosion and pitting of the caliper piston and bore, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2025 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pipestone, Minnesota · Pipestone Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alon A2, built 1965 · all A2s on the register
- Registration
- N6557Q · registry record · serial A-57
- 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 when the wheels touched down during landing the airplane pulled hard to the left and departed the runway despite his control inputs to correct the airplane’s direction of travel. The airplane nose landing gear collapsed during the runway excursion and the airplane came to rest inverted in the adjacent cornfield. The wings and empennage sustained substantial damage. After the accident a bystander attempted to turn the left wheel of the airplane and told the pilot he could barely move it. Later when the pilot tried to move the left wheel it turned freely. A post-accident examination of the airplane showed that the brake caliper pistons and piston bores for both main landing gear were corroded and pitted. It is likely the left brake caliper failed to release after being used during the landing due to the corroded brake components.
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 systems › Landing gear system › Master cylinder/brake valve › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,245 hours in all; 1,175 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,485 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 485 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,539 ft by 196 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KMDS, 34 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMDS 201915Z AUTO 13011G17KT 10SM BKN024 26/23 A2994 RMK AO2 TSNO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 CEN25LA264.