Piper PA-28-140 accident near Somerville, Tennessee, October 24, 2025
On October 24, 2025 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA-28-140, registered N3905F, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Somerville, Tennessee (Fayette County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2025 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, Tennessee · Fayette County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1976 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3905F · registry record · serial 28-7625269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 24, 2025, about 1815 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N3905F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Fayette County Airport (FYE), Somerville, Tennessee. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies noted during the preflight inspection, engine run-up checks, and three previous touch-and-go landings. During the fourth takeoff, at an altitude of about 600 ft and upwind of the runway, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power, made a 180° left turn and landed in a grassy area west of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted an airport perimeter fence before coming to rest in a grassy area about 515 ft northwest of the departure end of the runway. The airplane’s left wing separated and its fuselage and right wing also sustained substantial damage. The airplane was retained for further examination.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Landing area undershoot during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: FYE Somerville TN at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from FYE
Weather report (METAR): KFYE 242315Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/08 A3018 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
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.