Piper PA 34 N34JM

Summary

On 18 May 2017 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA 34 registered N34JM, operated by Auto Milestones LLC, was involved in an accident near Tunkhannock, 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 May 2017 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Skyhaven (76N)

Coordinates

41.5275, -75.9458

Aircraft

Piper PA 34

Registration

N34JM

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

2

Operator

Auto Milestones LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Falmouth → Tunkhannock

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA293

Nobody was injured.

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. 

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

Read the full NTSB 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 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.