# NTSB CEN25LA398: Piper PA-60-601P, N3635A, Del Norte, CO, September 27, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 27, 2025, 16:31 local (22:31 UTC)
- Place: Del Norte, CO
- Coordinates: 37.711446, -106.35266
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7114&lon=-106.3527&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201741
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA398
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201741/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201741
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA398

## Probable cause

The loss of directional control during landing roll due to a flat tire.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-60-601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7106016), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: tire casing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023244): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-60-601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023244/cases.md?model=7106016), [All aircraft, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023244/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-60-601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7106016), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Piper PA-60-601P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=7106016), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, the airplane landed on the runway and pulled hard to the right. He attempted to maintain the runway centerline, however, as the airplane slowed down, the airplane continued to pull hard to the right. The airplane exited the runway surface and went into the sage brush. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. During a post-accident walk around, the pilot noticed that the right main landing gear tire was flat.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3635A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3635A), registered now, S/N 61P07748063387, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PA-60-601P
- Registry model: [Piper PA-60-601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-60-601p) (registry code 7106016) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 61P07748063387
- Year built: 1980
- Airframe hours: 6511.6
- Engines: Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 350 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 350 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91
- Registered owner: Cady Properties And Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 21, 2025
- Departed: HYS, Hays, KS
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: RCV, Astronaut Kent Rominger, runway 06/24, 6,051 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 29, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,362 total, 253 in this make and model, 4,260 as pilot in command, 71 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observed at: KRCV, 0.5 nm away
- METAR: KRCV 272235Z AUTO 12008KT 10SM BKN120 20/M01 A3024 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S AND W T02011014,M

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250927019709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250927019709A), Sep 27, 2025: Piper Aircraft Corporation PA-60-601P, Del Norte, CO, Substantial damage. On September 27, 2025, a Piper PA60 aircraft lost directional control on rollout from landing on runway 24 at krcv due to an undetected tire failure that…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201741. 3.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19621714&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_CEN25LA398_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19621221&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR_Heaton-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19621819&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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