Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

May 4, 2001 · Piper PA-32-301 · N434DJ

Factoryville, PA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 4, 2001
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Factoryville, PA
Aircraft
Piper PA-32-301
Tail Number
N434DJ
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
IAD01LA054

The airplane landed with a tailwind, and touched down between one-third and halfway down the 2,500-foot runway. The brakes were applied, but the airplane overran the departure end of the runway. The pilot said that his airspeed at touchdown was "…excessive, and despite full braking, I overran the runway." According to the pilot, he had the opportunity to abort the landing, but he chose to continue the landing with the brakes applied. The pilot reported 173 hours of flight experience, 139 hours of which were in make and model. He said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to reach the proper touchdown point, and his subsequent failure to abort the landing.

Full Narrative

On May 4, 2001, at 1500 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301, N434DJ, was substantially damaged during a runway overrun at the Seamans Field Airport, Factoryville, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Allentown, Pennsylvania, approximately 1400. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a written statement, the pilot said: "Entered traffic pattern for runway 22 at Seamans Airport after overlying the field, but not seeing the windsock. Final approach was slightly high and I corrected, however at touchdown my groundspeed was excessive and despite full braking, I overran the runway. After skidding on the grass past the end of the runway, my nosewheel tipped over a hill, pulling the plane down the hill." During a telephone interview, the pilot said: "I was a little high on final, with the prop forward and full flaps. My approach speed was 85. I slipped to get it down, and I nosed it over to about 95, but my groundspeed was a heck of a lot faster than that. "It was a 2,500-foot runway, and when I touched down, my groundspeed was pretty fast. I had an opportunity to go around, but I laid on the brakes. I just kept skidding, and overran the runway. I wasn't going that fast, but it just wouldn't stop. I think I had a tailwind. "I ran over into the grass and almost got it stopped, but the nose wheel dropped over the hill, and I went down the embankment." The pilot was asked where the airplane touched down on the runway. He said: "I'm not exactly sure. I shoot for the numbers, and I think I flared above the threshold. I think I touched down between one-third and one-half the way down the runway. I used a fair amount of runway. "If you look at the skid marks, they start between one-half and two-thirds of the way down the runway, and I didn't put the brakes on right away." In a written statement, one witness said: "The incident happened Friday, May 4th between 2:45 and 3:00 p.m. I was working outside parallel to the runway where the plane landed. I saw it at about 75 feet above the runway, diving at the runway, and then touched down about 1000 feet from the end. The flaps were still extended throughout the roll-out preventing full braking action. I lost sight of the plane when it went behind the hangar. That's all I saw until I got to the scene, then I saw the airplane sitting with its nose gear collapsed on the road." In a written statement, a second witness said: "I saw the airplane from the front hangar when I left the building. I could hear the brakes squealing and saw it trying to stop from about the point of the gas pumps on to the end. It touched down before I first saw it. At that time I did not know if it managed to stop or whether it went off the runway but at the same time 3 or 4 … mechanics and 1 or 2 customers ran to the airplane to determine that nobody was hurt. " When questioned about the handling and performance of the airplane, the pilot said: "It was perfect, the airplane was doing quite well." The pilot reported 173 hours of flight experience, 139 hours of which were in make and model. The weather reported at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 19 miles south of Seaman's Airport was clear skies with variable winds at 4 knots.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:00 EDT
Nearest AirportSeaman'S Field (1nm SW)
Runway22
Runway Length2500 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-32-301
Tail NumberN434DJ
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-K1G5 · Reciprocating · 300
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 47 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind4 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point48
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time18:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data