N3609QPiper PA-32R-300 · 1977

On June 24, 2025, about 0934 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N3609Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska. The pilot and flight instructor were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The airplane departed from the Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) at about 0900 on a training flight with about 60 gallons of fuel on board. A witness at the Big Lake Airport (BGQ) reported seeing the airplane over the trees on the south end of the runway. The airplane made a sharp left turn towards the runway impacting the ground just north of the runway. A first responder reported the pilot stated the airplane ran out of fuel.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigator-in-charge’s on-scene wreckage examination revealed the right wing fuel tank contained about 22 gallons of fuel. The left-wing fuel tank connection was damaged from impact and no fuel was observed in the left wing. The available position of the fuel selector in the cockpit is OFF, LEFT TANK, and RIGHT TANK. According to the owner of the airplane, the pilot would have started the flight in the RIGHT TANK position. The fuel selector was found in the OFF position and was jammed from impact damage, which would not allow movement after the accident. (Figure 1).

Figure 1. View of airplane fuel selector.