20250920015599A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-22-150 · Merritt Island, FL · September 20, 2025

Date: September 20, 2025 · 18:55 local
Place: Merritt Island, FL
Airport: Merritt Island
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3429Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA25LA364
Reported as: Piper PA-22-150
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320-A2B
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,967 total470 in this make and model42 in the last 90 days

N3429ZRegistered now · Piper PA-22-150S/N 22-7343 · Built 1960 Airframe modelPiper PA-22-150 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

Merritt Island, FL (coi): N3429Z, PA22, (delayed notification)

Upon landing ground looped and came to rest in a ditch.

Aircraft was towed to the ramp. POB: 3, injuries: none,

Damage: substantial. 09/20/2025 1855 local.

Pilot statement: a few seconds after a normal three point landing the airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to a stop in a drainage ditch.

Pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft. Causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

MERRITT ISLAND, FL (COI): N3429Z, PA22, (DELAYED NOTIFICATION)

UPON LANDING GROUND LOOPED AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH.

AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO THE RAMP. POB: 3, INJURIES: NONE,

DAMAGE: SUBSTANTIAL. 09/20/2025 1855 LOCAL.

PILOT STATEMENT: A FEW SECONDS AFTER A NORMAL THREE POINT LANDING THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A STOP IN A DRAINAGE DITCH.

PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 ERA25LA364Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMerritt Island, FLThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind.Sep 20, 2025 · Substantial damage