Piper PA-28-161 accident near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1993
On September 2, 1993 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2406U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania (Penns Cave airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT RESULTNG IN THE AIRPLANE EXITING THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDING WITH THE BERM. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE LOCATION OF THE BERM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1993 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Centre Hall, Pennsylvania · Penns Cave · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2406U · no longer on the register · serial 28-8016024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WHEN ON HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, ONE OF THE PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT BECAME ILL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPEDITED THE APPROACH BY REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE, AND COMMENCING A DESCENT OF ABOUT 1000 FEET PER MINUTE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN MIDFIELD AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE IN TIME TO AVOID THE EMBANKMENT (BERM) AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE EMBANKMENT AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 60 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,105 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 844 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Atlantic Airlines
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,490 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from N74
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.