# NTSB ERA26LA024: Piper PA-28-140, N3905F, Somerville, TN, October 24, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: October 24, 2025, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place: Somerville, TN · Airport perimeter fence
- Coordinates: 35.215219, -89.394713 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2152&lon=-89.3947&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO, Lycoming Engines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201925
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA024
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201925/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA024

## Preliminary report

On October 24, 2025, about 1815 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N3905F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Fayette County Airport (FYE), Somerville, Tennessee. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies noted during the preflight inspection, engine run-up checks, and three previous touch-and-go landings. During the fourth takeoff, at an altitude of about 600 ft and upwind of the runway, the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power, made a 180° left turn and landed in a grassy area west of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted an airport perimeter fence before coming to rest in a grassy area about 515 ft northwest of the departure end of the runway. The airplane’s left wing separated and its fuselage and right wing also sustained substantial damage. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3905F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3905F), registered now, S/N 28-7625269, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-7625269
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 3100
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 15, 2025
- Departed: FYE, Somerville, TN
- Airport: FYE, Fayette County Airport, runway 1, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observed at: FYE, 0.39 nm away
- METAR: KFYE 242315Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/08 A3018 RMK A01

## 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 20251024017119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251024017119A), Oct 24, 2025: Piper PA-28-140, Somerville, TN, Destroyed. Somerville, TN (fye): [privacy data omitted] P28A, while performing touch-and-goes, experienced engine failure. Aircraft attempted to return, struck trees and…

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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