Piper PA-22 N937A

Summary

On 18 April 2025 at about 14:35 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N937A was involved in an accident near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 April 2025 at 14:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Lehigh Valley International Ai (ABE)

Coordinates

40.6558, -75.4364

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N937A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1951

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA178

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusting crosswind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that he intended to perform a solo flight and complete 3 takeoffs and landings at his home airport. Just prior to touchdown, the airplane encountered a left crosswind. After the airplane landed, a series of wind gusts pushed the airplane onto the nose landing gear and flipped the airplane over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and empennage. The pilot further stated that he recalled that the airport air traffic control tower controller reported a left crosswind during his takeoff clearance and during two other times before landing. The wind reported at the airport 6 minutes after the accident indicated a 30° left crosswind at 11 knots with gusts up to 19 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.