What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Cessna 150J, privacy data omitted sustained substantial damage at 1300 local on 31 July 2025, at the Soldotna Airport, Soldotna, AK. Excerpt here from description in FAA preliminary notice document:
'...Departed runway 25 and experienced a loss of power. Pilot tried to turn back to the airport and crashed between taxiway g and runway 25.' 'Weather data: METAR pasx 312056Z auto VRB05KT 10SM BRKN017 OVC029 17/13 A3002...', end excerpt.
During the course of the investigation, a loss of power was not mentioned or substantiated, so it was not considered a causal factor in the accident.
Two videos of the event captured the aircraft lifting off and then staying within ground effect for approximately 2500 ft, and then maintaining a low altitude to the end of the runway. The aircraft then pulled up at an aggressive angle, climbing until it stalled, rolled left, then rapidly descended while turning 180 degrees back toward the runway. Just before impacting the ground, the aircraft pulled to a near level attitude, hitting the ground and sliding.
At the scene, it was noted that the aircraft had impacted the ground and slid 112 ft, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and landing gear. The engine departed the aircraft. One individual sustained serious injury and the other minor injury.
At this time, we have not received flight times and training dates from either pilot, will amend as further information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
CESSNA 150J, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AT 1300 LOCAL ON 31 JULY 2025, AT THE SOLDOTNA AIRPORT, SOLDOTNA, AK. EXCERPT HERE FROM DESCRIPTION IN FAA PRELIMINARY NOTICE DOCUMENT:
'...DEPARTED RUNWAY 25 AND EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. PILOT TRIED TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND CRASHED BETWEEN TAXIWAY G AND RUNWAY 25.' 'WEATHER DATA: METAR PASX 312056Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM BRKN017 OVC029 17/13 A3002...', END EXCERPT.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, A LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT MENTIONED OR SUBSTANTIATED, SO IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED A CAUSAL FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
TWO VIDEOS OF THE EVENT CAPTURED THE AIRCRAFT LIFTING OFF AND THEN STAYING WITHIN GROUND EFFECT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2500 FT, AND THEN MAINTAINING A LOW ALTITUDE TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PULLED UP AT AN AGGRESSIVE ANGLE, CLIMBING UNTIL IT STALLED, ROLLED LEFT, THEN RAPIDLY DESCENDED WHILE TURNING 180 DEGREES BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY. JUST BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT PULLED TO A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, HITTING THE GROUND AND SLIDING.
AT THE SCENE, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND AND SLID 112 FT, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, AND LANDING GEAR. THE ENGINE DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. ONE INDIVIDUAL SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY AND THE OTHER MINOR INJURY.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED FLIGHT TIMES AND TRAINING DATES FROM EITHER PILOT, WILL AMEND AS FURTHER INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N60509 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.