de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100, N166DH, accident occurred on June 8, 2025, near Tullahoma Regional Airport/William Northern Field (THA/KTHA), Tullahoma, Tennessee

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N166DH

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200284/pdf

• Location: Tullahoma, TN 
• Accident Number: ERA25LA222 
• Date & Time: June 8, 2025, 12:20 Local 
• Registration: N166DH 
• Aircraft: DEHAVILLAND DHC-6 TWIN OTTER 
• Injuries: 6 Serious, 15 None 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Skydiving

On June 8, 2025, about 1220 central daylight time, a DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, N166DH, was involved in an accident near Tullahoma, Tennessee. The commercial pilot and five passengers were seriously injured, and 15 passengers were not injured. The flight was being conducted as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 skydiving flight.

The pilot was attempting to take off from runway 24 at the Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA), Tullahoma, TN. The accident flight was his fourth flight in the airplane that day. The pilot stated the takeoff was normal and he raised the flaps once the airplane was clear of obstacles. When the airplane was about 500 ft above the ground, the pilot noticed asymmetrical thrust on the engines while syncing the propellers. He said, “In the following seconds, I continued trying to sync the props and was getting unusual feedback in the controls. I didn’t notice any loss of power in the gauges, but something felt a miss.” The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and saw the altitude level off, and airspeed decrease.

The pilot determined that the left engine had lost power. He initiated “engine out procedures” and turned left, back to the airport to try and land on runway 36. The pilot could not remember if he secured the left engine; however, he did remember adding flaps as per the engine-out procedures. The pilot said he tried to maintain airspeed above the single engine minimum control speed (Vmc), but the airplane continued to descend. The pilot was unable to make it back to the airport and chose to land in a field. There were two trees in the field that he was unable to avoid, and the airplane impacted the trees. The airplane came to rest upright, but the left wing, left engine and the tail section separated from the airframe, resulting in substantial damage. The right wing and engine remained secured to the airframe. There was no postimpact fire.

The airplane wreckage was recovered and taken to a secure facility for further examination.

Piper PA-22-135 Tri-Pacer, N2300A, accident occurred on June 26, 2025, at Avenger Field Airport (SWW/KSWW), Sweetwater, Texas

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N2300A

On June 26, 2025, at about 1219 local time, a privately-registered Piper PA-22-135 Tri-Pacer, N2300A, sustained substantial damage in an accident at Avenger Field Airport (SWW/KSWW), Sweetwater, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight originated from Aero Valley Airport (52F), Roanoke, Texas, at about 1032 LT.

The FAA reported that the aircraft landed and veered off runway due to winds damaging the left wing, tail and landing gear.

Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, N3609Z, accident occurred on June 30, 2025, near Chinitna Bay, Alaska

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N3609Z

Figure 1: ADS-B data from Flightaware

On June 30, 2025, at about 1617 local time, a privately-registered Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, N3609Z, sustained substantial damage in a forced landing near Chinitna Bay, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The personal flight originated from Soldotna Airport (SXQ/PASX), Soldotna, Alaska, at about 1457 LT.

ADS-B data indicates the airplane departed runway 25 and climbed to an altitude of 4,000 ft before it descended to about 1,200 ft and started flying towards the southwest. The airplane flew over mountainous terrain with varying degrees of altitudes and groundspeeds. About 55 minutes into the flight, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 2,700 ft to overfly a mountain, which was followed by a slow descent towards a beach.

The FAA reported that the aircraft made an emergency landing on a beach and flipped over.

Rans S-14 Airaile, N981CS, fatal accident occurred on June 30, 2025, near Guthrie, Oklahoma

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N981CS

On June 30, 2025, at about 2055 local time, a privately-registered Rans S-14 Airaile, N981CS, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain near Guthrie, Oklahoma. The pilot sustained fatal injuries.

The circumstances of the accident are unknown. The aircraft, serial number A122184, was registered as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). It was equipped with a Rotax 503 engine, radio and transponder, 13 gallons of fuel on each wing tank and electric trim and flaps. It was not equipped with ADS-B.

The airplane came to rest upright in an open field and was not consumed by a post crash fire. All four corners of the aircraft were present at the accident site. No debris field was noted. The cockpit was crushed aft and sustained extensive impact damage, both wings remained attached to the airframe, and both sustained accordion style, leading edge impact damage, The tail section was suspended in the air and was not damaged during the impact sequence.

According to the United States Naval Observatory, the official sunset occurred at 2050, end of civil twilight at 2120. At the time of the accident the Sun was 1 degrees below the horizon, and the Moon was 41 degrees over the horizon.

- Weather:

METAR KGOK 010053Z AUTO 05003KT 10SM CLR 27/21 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP155 T02720206 $

METAR KGOK 010153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/22 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP167 T02500217 $

METAR KGOK 010253Z AUTO 09003KT 10SM CLR 25/21 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP171 T02500206 51026 $

Piper PA-23 Apache, N2109P, accident occurred on June 4, 2025, near Palm Bay, Florida

• Location: Palm Bay, FL 
• Accident Number: ERA25LA217 
• Date & Time: June 4, 2025, 13:41 Local 
• Registration: N2109P 
• Aircraft: Piper PA-23 
• Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=2109P

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200265/pdf

On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Palm Bay, Florida. The commercial pilot was uninjured, and the sole passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, they had departed in the morning from the Front Royal-Warren County Airport (FRR), Front Royal, Virginia, and were heading to Boca Raton, Florida. The pilot reported that prior to departing FRR, they had filled both main fuel tanks for a total of 72 gallons of fuel. The pilot also reported that due to a fuel leak, the auxiliary fuel tanks were not used. During the flight, the pilot made a fuel stop at the Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB), Orangeburg, South Carolina, where they took on 60.3 gallons of fuel to top off the main fuel tanks. After departing OGB, the flight continued south. When the flight approached Savannah, Georgia, the pilot reported encountering a patch of weather and diverted to the west to go around it. After passing the weather, the pilot began to follow the coastline, and as the airplane approached the Daytona Beach area, the pilot diverted to the east to avoid another patch of weather. Shortly afterward, the pilot began to make an approach to their next fuel stop at the Valkaria Airport (X59), Valkaria, Florida. While on approach to X59, the pilot reported entering a “massive rain shower,” and the pilot lost sight of the runway. The pilot aborted the approach and initiated a climb toward the east to exit the weather. After reaching about 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported that the left engine began to sputter and lost power. The pilot applied carburetor heat and attempted to restart the left engine; however, engine power did not return. The pilot then reported that the right engine began to sputter, and the pilot elected to perform a forced ditching into the Indian River near Palm Bay, Florida. During the ditching, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and swam to shore.

The wreckage was recovered the same day from the river and brought to shore. The following day, the wreckage was examined. Both fuel selectors were found in the “MAIN” fuel tank position. The left main and auxiliary fuel tank caps were found to be secure, and there were no signs of a fuel leak around the fuel tanks. The left main fuel tank was drained at the left fuel strainer bowl, where approximately 7 gallons of water were drained from the fuel tank. There were no signs of fuel in the left main fuel tank. The left auxiliary fuel tank was drained at the strainer, and the tank contained approximately 4 gallons of fuel that had the odor and color consistent with 100 low lead (LL) aviation gasoline; there was no water found in the left auxiliary fuel tank. The left fuel strainer bowl was removed and visually inspected; the strainer bowl cap was found to be severely corroded. There was no fuel screen installed in the left fuel strainer, and the bowl contained several large pieces of corroded debris. 

The right main fuel tank cap was found to be secured to the fuel tank filler and sealed properly. The right auxiliary fuel tank cap was found installed in the right auxiliary tank filler; however, the right auxiliary tank filler neck was missing the metal ring insert and would not seal properly. A lighted borescope was inserted into the right auxiliary fuel tank, and the filler port insert was found near the right auxiliary tank pickup screen. The right main fuel tank was drained at the fuel strainer, where approximately 1 gallon of water and 4 gallons of fuel that had the odor and color consistent with 100LL aviation gasoline were drained from the fuel tank. The right auxiliary fuel tank was found to be completely devoid of fluid.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.

XAG P100 Pro, N231CU, accident occurred on June 5, 2025, near Pontiac, Illinois

• Location: Pontiac, IL 
• Accident Number: CEN25LA206 
• Date & Time: June 5, 2025, 11:55 Local 
• Registration: N231CU 
• Aircraft: XAG P100 PRO 
• Injuries: 1 None 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 137: Agricultural

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N231CU

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200318/pdf

On June 5, 2025, at 1155 central daylight time, a XAG P100 Pro, N231CU, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pontiac, Illinois. The unmanned aerial system (UAS) was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 137 aerial application flight.

The UAS was in a hover about 10 ft above ground level spraying an agricultural field with fertilizer when a propeller blade separated from the UAS. The UAS then descended and impacted the field. The UAS sustained substantial damage to the propeller.

The portion of the propeller that remained attached to the UAS was retained for further examination.

Loss of control on ground: Magni M24 Orion, N49PF, accident occurred on June 10, 2023, at Venice Municipal Airport (VNC/KVNC), Venice, Florida

• Location: Venice, Florida 
• Accident Number: ERA23LA267 
• Date & Time: June 10, 2023, 11:16 Local 
• Registration: N49PF 
• Aircraft: FLY GYROS LLC M24 ORION 
• Aircraft Damage: Substantial 
• Defining Event: Loss of control on ground 
• Injuries: 1 Serious 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192352/pdf

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192352

On June 10, 2023, at 1116 eastern daylight time, a Fly Gyros LLC M24 Orion gyroplane, N49PF, was involved in an accident at the Venice Municipal Airport (VNC), Venice, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured. The flight was conducted as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot was attempting to take off when his gyroplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted a fence substantially damaging the fuselage. According to a first responder, the engine and propeller were running, and the pilot, who appeared incoherent, was trying to climb out of the gyroplane. Once the engine was turned off, the pilot was removed from the aircraft and air-lifted to a trauma center.

Medical personnel initially reported that the pilot had suffered a stroke just before takeoff and had been dealing with a dissecting carotid artery for several weeks before the accident. The pilot’s wife told law enforcement that she spoke with her husband before the flight. She said he seemed normal, and he told her that a previous mechanical issue had been fixed, and the gyroplane was fit to fly. Postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed no mechanical issues that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident.

A postaccident medical review revealed the pilot experienced an acute embolic stroke near the time of the crash, likely caused by dissection of the carotid artery. The pilot had a history of left internal carotid artery stenosis, but no prior carotid dissection. The presence of internal carotid artery stenosis would have put the pilot at increased risk of experiencing an embolic stroke in the absence of dissection. Furthermore, carotid dissection may have occurred before the accident (spontaneously or as a result of minor trauma), leading to embolic stroke, which may have been delayed. However, it is also possible that the pilot’s carotid dissection and embolic stroke may have resulted from the blunt head and neck injury that he sustained in the accident. Such blunt injury is a recognized cause of carotid dissection that can rapidly result in embolic stroke. Thus, whether the pilot’s acute stroke occurred before the accident, or as a result of injury sustained in the accident, could not be determined.

- Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control on takeoff for unknown reasons; whether the pilot’s acute stroke contributed to, or resulted from, the accident could not be determined.