Piper PA22 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, September 20, 2025
On September 20, 2025 at about 10:55 pm local time, a 1960 Piper PA22, registered N3429Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2025 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150, built 1960 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N3429Z · registry record · serial 22-7343
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner/pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was attempting a normal three-point landing in a 15-knot right crosswind that was gusting to 18 knots. During the landing the airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,967 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 2,765 as pilot in command; 1,836 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 24, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2025; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 3,381 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSSI St.Simmons Island GA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from COI
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCOI 202255Z AUTO 35012KT 10SM SCT027 29/24 A2999 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 4, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Surface Observations | PDF, 1 page | 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.