20250712009439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25 · Hot Springs, SD · July 12, 2025

Date: July 12, 2025 · 13:22 local
Place: Hot Springs, SD
Airport: Hot Springs Municipal
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8186K
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN25FA248
Reported as: Piper PA-25
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor

N8186KRegistered now · Piper PA-25S/N 25163 · Built 1960 Airframe modelPiper PA-25 Engine modelLycoming 0-360-A1DReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On July 12, 2025 at 1322 a Piper PA-25 privacy data omitted was involved in a fatal accident during glider tow operations. VMC conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot was fatally injured. The pilot with an ATP certificate. The flight originated at Hot Springs, SD on July 12, 2025 at 1320.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 12, 2025 AT 1322 A PIPER PA-25 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT DURING GLIDER TOW OPERATIONS. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOT WITH AN ATP CERTIFICATE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT HOT SPRINGS, SD ON JULY 12, 2025 AT 1320.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN25FA248Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportHot Springs, SDOn July 12, 2025, about 1322 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-25, N8186K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hot Springs, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…Jul 12, 2025 · Substantial damage