20260628007279A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Hazen, ND · June 28, 2026

Date: June 28, 2026 · 13:15 local
Place: Hazen, ND
Airport: Mercer County Regional
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6852P
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA26FA252
Reported as: Piper PA-24-250
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,223 total767 in this make and model

N6852PRegistered now · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-1986 · Built 1960 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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.

The aircraft departed Mercer regional airport (khze) in Hazen, ND at about 13:17 central daylight time on runway 15. A witness reported seeing the airplane takeoff and retract the landing gear while at about the midpoint of the runway.

Moments later, the witness saw the aircraft level “at about 200 feet” and the landing gear extend. The aircraft then made a left banking turn back towards the airport. The aircraft entered a steep dive and impacted the ground. Post crash fire consumed the aircraft. The PIC was fatally injured.

A video was taken of the PIC fueling the aircraft. The video revealed the PIC did not install the left fuel cap. It is believed that the PIC noticed the fuel escaping from the left wing during climb and initiated a hard left turn back to the airport. The 180 degree turn would have caused a direct tail wind and was a contributing factor in the loss of control.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MERCER REGIONAL AIRPORT (KHZE) IN HAZEN, ND AT ABOUT 13:17 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME ON RUNWAY 15. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF AND RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR WHILE AT ABOUT THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY.

MOMENTS LATER, THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL “AT ABOUT 200 FEET” AND THE LANDING GEAR EXTEND. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE A LEFT BANKING TURN BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP DIVE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC WAS FATALLY INJURED.

A VIDEO WAS TAKEN OF THE PIC FUELING THE AIRCRAFT. THE VIDEO REVEALED THE PIC DID NOT INSTALL THE LEFT FUEL CAP. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PIC NOTICED THE FUEL ESCAPING FROM THE LEFT WING DURING CLIMB AND INITIATED A HARD LEFT TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE 180 DEGREE TURN WOULD HAVE CAUSED A DIRECT TAIL WIND AND WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

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 ERA26FA252Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldPreliminary reportHazen, NDOn June 28, 2026, about 1317 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6852P, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hazen, North Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part…Jun 28, 2026 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6852P · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20200907014449ILanding: Touchdown · Minot, NDPilot stated that he was out of his usual routine and selected the gear handle down to late on approach. The gear was in transit at touchdown which helped minimize the damage caused by impact.Sep 7, 2020 · Minor damage Incident 20070409007189IOther Ground Ops · Santa Rosa, CA(-23) At 5:15 am, pilot performed the preflight of the aircraft and pulled aircraft out of hangar with a passenger's help. After engine start the pilot notied the aircraft rolling down the ramp. He pulled the throttle back to idle and applied hard right…Apr 9, 2007 · Minor damage