Piper PA-25-235 accident near Fernley, Nevada, June 13, 2024
On June 13, 2024, a 1967 Piper PA-25-235, registered N4625Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fernley, Nevada (Samsarg Field). It was a glider-towing 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2024
- Place
- Fernley, Nevada · Samsarg Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235, built 1967 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4625Y · registry record · serial 25-4339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during landing, he executed a wheel landing. During the rollout, while the airplane’s tail was lowering, a wind gust lifted the right wing. The pilot applied right aileron and left rudder corrections, and the right wing lowered. Subsequently, the right main landing gear tire contacted the soft runway edge, and the airplane exited the runway surface. The pilot applied full engine power to abort the landing, however, the airplane impacted multiple sand bars and spun 180°. The airplane came to rest upright, and the right wing and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 15 with the wind light and variable.
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
- Runway excursion during landing
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,905 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command; 2,218 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,494 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2024; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 7,207 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NV23 Reno NV
- Destination: N58 Fernley NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,974 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KRNO, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRNO 130055Z 27016G24KT 10SM FEW110 35/11 A2995 RMK AO2 PK WND 28027/0021 SLP076 CB DSNT SE T03500106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR24LA197.