Piper PA 46-350P accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, March 2, 2011
On March 2, 2011 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA 46-350P, registered N9172V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Allentown Queen City Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for crosswind conditions, resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2011 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Allentown, Pennsylvania · Allentown Queen City Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 46-350P · all PA 46-350Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9172V · registry record · serial 4622038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane in a right crosswind and wind gusts. He applied a right crosswind correction, flared, and touched down with the right main landing gear on the runway. When the pilot removed the right crosswind control corrections, the airplane landed hard and as the nose wheel settled onto the runway, the airplane swerved to the left. The nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and forward baggage compartment supports. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,499 hours in all; 3,321 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,499 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,341 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2010; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,340 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD at 7:00 pm
- Destination: XLL Allentown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 3,949 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 17 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 pm from XLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.