What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 17, 2025, FSDO 15 was notified that an PA-28 aircraft, N508JA flown by a student pilot had made an emergency landing on a dirt road. The student pilot stated when the autopilot was engaged, the aircraft pitched nose down and attempts to climb were not successful. The decision was made to land on the unpaved dirt road. The aircraft suffered significant damage to both wings and nose gear due to right wing impacting a power pole support cable and the left wing impacting a fence post.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2025, FSDO 15 WAS NOTIFIED THAT AN PA-28 AIRCRAFT, N508JA FLOWN BY A STUDENT PILOT HAD MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED WHEN THE AUTOPILOT WAS ENGAGED, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND ATTEMPTS TO CLIMB WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON THE UNPAVED DIRT ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND NOSE GEAR DUE TO RIGHT WING IMPACTING A POWER POLE SUPPORT CABLE AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTING A FENCE POST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.