Piper PA-22 accident near Madras, Oregon, March 26, 2025
On March 26, 2025 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1953 Piper PA-22, registered N1418C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Madras, Oregon (Madras Municipal 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 pilot’s loss of control during landing roll with gusty winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2025 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madras, Oregon · Madras Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22, built 1953 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N1418C · registry record · serial 22-1175
- 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 prior to landing in the tailwheel equipped airplane, he obtained the current weather of the destination airport, which included the current wind. During the final approach to land the wind was a lot stronger and gustier than expected. He advanced the throttle to make a crosswind correction to the left. About 10 ft above the runway the pilot set up for a three-point landing. Shortly after landing, the left wing began to rise, and the nose stared to turn to the right. Subsequently, the airplane quickly turned to the right and the right wing tip and right elevator impacted the runway, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 16, with the wind from 150° at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 181.6 hours in all; 38.8 in this make and model; 3.1 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 55.8 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,112.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 2024; 8 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 4,120 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDLS Dallesport WA at 11:05 pm
- Destination: S33 Madras OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,091 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from S33
Weather report (METAR): METAR KS33 261715Z AUTO 17014G18KT 10SM CLR 20/03 A2985 RMK AO2=
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 June 5, 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 | Photo Array-courtesy of the Pilot | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Data | 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.
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 WPR25LA120.