Socata TBM 700 accident near Wilmington, North Carolina, January 14, 2025
On January 14, 2025 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 2011 Socata TBM 700, registered N417KG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Wilmington, North Carolina (Wilmington Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a wing strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2025 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, North Carolina · Wilmington Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TBM 700, built 2011 · all TBM 700s on the register
- Registration
- N417KG · registry record · serial 579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was attempting to make a soft landing for his passengers, lost too much airspeed in the landing flare, and the right wing stalled. The airplane landed hard and the right wing struck the runway resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar and right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact 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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 821 hours in all; 452 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 821 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,909 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2024; 181 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,430 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A66D (turboprop); 2,090 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KORH Worcester MA at 4:22 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 7,754 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ILM
Weather report (METAR): KILM 141953Z 30011KT 10SM CLR 12/M11 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP225 T01221106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 ERA25LA099.