20250916016329A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-22-150 · St Marys, AK · September 16, 2025

Date
September 16, 2025 · 15:25 local
Place
St Marys, AK
Airport
St Marys
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3816P
Reported as
Piper PA-22-150
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,700 total232 in this make and model110 in the last 90 days

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.

Departure from pasm at approximately 12:00 for camp. During the approach just prior to landing on an unimproved tundra covered ridge top I experienced a wind shift/shear. I immediately initiated a go around, but was unable to overcome the wind shear. The airplane turned to the right, the nose struck the ground and the airplane came to rest upside down on its back.

As the FAA filed it

DEPARTURE FROM PASM AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 FOR CAMP. DURING THE APPROACH JUST PRIOR TO LANDING ON AN UNIMPROVED TUNDRA COVERED RIDGE TOP I EXPERIENCED A WIND SHIFT/SHEAR. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A GO AROUND, BUT WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE WIND SHEAR. THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE NOSE STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN ON ITS BACK.