# NTSB ERA25LA268: Piper PA46, N962WF, Elysburg, PA, July 11, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 11, 2025, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Elysburg, PA - Coordinates: 40.837449, -76.550283 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8374&lon=-76.5503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 20, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200555 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA268 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200555/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200555 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA268 ## Probable cause Failure of the engine mount which resulted in a collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail gear attach section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 40 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, while on final approach, he confirmed that he had the flaps down and three green lights indicating the landing gear was down and locked. He touched down on the main landing gear and then the nose gear while using the rudder pedals to maintain directional control. Shortly after, the pilot noticed that the airplane was yawing to the left and the rudder pedals were no longer effective. The nose landing gear had collapsed, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway into a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a broken engine mount where the nose landing gear retract cylinder was located. About 10 years before the accident, the airframe manufacturer issued a service bulletin requiring inspection of this area for cracking after each 100 hours of flight time. The bulletin described that, “Cracks may develop in the area of the nose gear actuator attach feet on the engine mount. This condition can occur when the nose landing gear is subjected to excessive loads due to hard landings, rough field operations, excessive speed turns, improper airplane towing (sudden, aggressive starts and stops), or other improper operations.” The mechanic who performed the last annual inspection stated that he had not completed the inspection specified by the service bulletin and that the airplane had accumulated 138 hours of flight time since the last compliance. Whether the nose landing gear collapse that occurred during the accident flight was the result of previous, undetected cracking or the landing on the accident flight was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N962WF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N962WF), registered now, S/N 4636203, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA46 (350P) - Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104620) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-series) (registry code 41569, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4636203 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 3422 - Engines: Lycoming Engines TIO-540-AE2A 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pad Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Pad Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2025, 2 hours before - Departed: MQS, Coatesville, PA - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: N79, Northumberland County, runway 26, 3,297 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 11, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,432 total, 159 in this make and model, 2,206 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: SEG, 14 nm away - METAR: KSEG 112053Z AUTO 19006KT 10SM CLR 31/20 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP148 T03060200 56009 ## 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 20250711009699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250711009699A), Jul 11, 2025: Piper PA 46-350P, Paxinos, PA, Substantial damage. Approaching the airport from the south, I entered a left downwind for runway 26 and put the gear down, at which time I noticed 3 green lights. Then I performed… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200555. 10.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19044328&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA268%20Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, mechanic (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19044026&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA268%20Mechanic%20MFR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 468 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19542543&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA268%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 7.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19045050&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA25LA268%20Maintenance%20Entries_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Piper service bulletin (item 5, PDF, 7 pages, 735 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19045362&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=SB%201103F-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.