Piper PA-34-200T accident near Johnstown, New York, May 24, 2013
On May 24, 2013 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1978 Piper PA-34-200T, registered N31743, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Johnstown, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's design stress limitations, and a subsequent in-flight breakup.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2013 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Johnstown, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T, built 1978 · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N31743 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870264
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The volunteer medical transport flight was established on course toward an en route navigational fix. Upon reaching the fix, the flight was expected to continue toward the initial approach fix at the destination airport in preparation for an instrument approach; however, about 5 miles southeast of the en route fix, the airplane began to deviate off course. When asked by an air traffic controlller about the reason for the deviation, the pilot stated that the airplane had turned "the wrong way" and indicated that he had incorrectly loaded the instrument approach into the airplane's GPS. The controller provided a vector to the pilot to return the airplane to the previously established course, and the pilot acknowledged. About 1 minute later, radar contact with the airplane was lost. Radar data indicated that the airplane entered a rapidly-descending left turn in the final moments of the flight during which it reached an estimated 80-degree left bank, lost about 3,700 feet of altitude in 36 seconds, and accelerated to an airspeed of about 240 knots before breaking up. All fracture surfaces exhibited failure characteristics consistent with overload. Examination of the engines revealed no anomalies. Analysis of weather information for the area of the accident site indicated that the airplane was likely operating in instrument meteorological conditions at the time of the accident but that icing conditions likely were not present in the immediate vicinity. The restricted visibility, turbulence, the airplane's unexpected off-course turn, the pilot's resulting distraction with the operation and configuration of the GPS, and possibly his sudden need to fly the airplane without the aid of the autopilot would have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. The resulting ground track, rapid turning descent, and breakup were consistent with a loss of control as a result of spatial disorientation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › (general) › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,746 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,550.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2013; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Campbell Associates At Curtiss Aero INC
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 8:04 pm
- Destination: RME Rome NY
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from KSCH, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N31743 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.