- Date
- May 18, 2017, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tunkhannock, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N34JMPiper PA 34
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170518006779A
- Case key
- 95205
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during landing and while in ground affect, "the airplane suddenly, and without an aural stall warning, lost lift and was forced onto the runway." Subsequently, the nose gear landing collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located about 15 miles from the accident site reported that, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 230° at 10 knots. The pilot landed on runway 19.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing and while in ground affect, "the airplane suddenly, and without an aural stall warning, lost lift and was 'forced' onto the runway". Subsequently the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located about 15 miles from the accident site reported, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 230° at 10. The pilot landed on runway 19.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34JM
- Reported as
- Piper PA 34 (220T)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3449177
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 1,422
- Engines
- Continental LTSIO-360RB2B, 220 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental TSIO-360RB1B, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Auto Milestones LLC
- Registered owner
- Auto Milestones LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 2016
- Departed
- 5B6 · Falmouth, MA
- Destination
- 76N · Tunkhannock, PA
- Airport
- 76N · Skyhaven, runway 19, 2,007 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,186 total · 1,342 in this make and model · 3,126 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KAVP, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.