Piper PA-60-602P accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 2, 2012
On April 2, 2012 at about 4:26 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered N6902L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2012 · about 4:26 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Philadelphia International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6902L · no longer on the register · serial 60-8265034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cleared to land on runway 26. The recorded surface wind at the airport around the time of the accident was from 330 to 340 degrees at 14 to 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots; a peak wind gust from 350 degrees at 26 knots was recorded about 7 minutes after the accident. The pilot said that he landed on the left main gear with the right main intermittently touching the ground and tried to lower the right wing to improve wheel-to-runway contact but was unsuccessful because of a wind gust. The airplane swerved off the left side of the runway onto the soft grass area, where the airplane’s main landing gear collapsed, and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 929 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 6, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHV Lock Haven PA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from PHL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.