# NTSB NYC93LA183: Piper PA-601, N60721, Penn Yan, NY, August 30, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 30, 1993, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Penn Yan, NY - Coordinates: 42.659805, -77.050231 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6598&lon=-77.0502&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38655 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38655/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA183 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with an obstacle and the ground. A factor is the pilot's diverted attention. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - wire,transmission - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE TWO UNSUCCESSFUL LANDING ATTEMPTS ON RUNWAY 10 BEFORE HE DETERMINED THE WINDS FAVORED A LANDING ON RUNWAY 28. DURING THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 28, HE NOTICED POWER LINES AND CAMPERS AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'ON THE APPROACH, MY ATTENTION WAS DISTRACTED . . . BY THE WIRES . . . THE CAMPERS, (AND A) MOUND OF DIRT. I FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY . . . I HIT THE POWER LINE AND WAS ABLE TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL . . . BUT IT DROPPED TO THE RUNWAY.' ## Factual narrative On Monday, August 30, 1993, at 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-601, N60721, piloted by Dr. Timothy A. Patrick, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Penn Yan Airport, Penn Yan, New York. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. In his report, the pilot stated: I elected to make an approach to runway 28. ...On this approach, my attention was distracted ...by the wires...the campers, [and a] mound of dirt...I failed to maintain adequate airspeed and stalled the aircraft at approximately 30 to 40 feet above the runway...I hit the power and was able to regain some control of the aircraft, but it still dropped to the runway. After landing, the pilot inspected the airplane. His report continued: The inspection showed that the plane had some damage, but it was not felt that it was severe enough to keep it from flying back to Altoona. The pilot reported that the winds were 5 to 10 knots at the time of the landing. On September 7, 1993, Mr. Thomas C. Mahoney, Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) for the Federal Aviation Administration, conducted an examination of the airplane at the Altoona-Blair County Airport, Altoona, Pennsylvania. In part of his report, Mr. Mahoney stated: Bottom of the left wing between the fuselage and the engine nacelle had heavy wrinkles in the skin from the leading edge of the wheel well... The top wing skin trailing edge rear of the left nacelle was buckled up about one inch from normal. Left rear side of the nose landing gear wheel well was cracked. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N60721](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60721-2000-03-20), registration cancelled 2000-03-20, S/N 61P07368063360 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-601 - Registry model: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-aerostar-601p) (registry code 7106012) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 61P0736806 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-S1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mountain Aerostar, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: AOO, ALTOONA, PA - Destination: N22 - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: N22, Penn Yan, runway 28, 3,265 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 691 total, 183 in this make and model, 412 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 10 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930830032889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930830032889A), Aug 30, 1993: Piper PA60601P, Penn Yan, NY, Substantial damage. Distracted by obstructions on final. Stalled short final and struck wires. Dropped to runway. ## Other investigations on N60721 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC98FA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98FA127), Jun 10, 1998: Piper 601P (N60721), Martinsburg, PA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain. A factor in the accident was the low ceiling. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.