NTSB ERA25LA364 — 2025-09-20 · Merritt Island, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N3429Z

Make / Model: PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture: 1960 · 65 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19600205
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A3C867

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3429Z Piper PA22 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind.

Factual narrative

The owner/pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was attempting a normal three-point landing in a 15-knot right crosswind that was gusting to 18 knots. During the landing the airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_ERA25LA364.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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