Piper PA-30 accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, February 16, 2014
On February 16, 2014 at about 7:40 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA-30, registered N931JS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Allentown Queen City Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2014 · about 7:40 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-30, built 1969 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N931JS · no longer on the register · serial 30-1826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he simulated a right engine failure, which required the pilot receiving instruction to perform a single-engine, full-stop landing. The pilot receiving instruction maintained the correct airspeed on final but flared the airplane a little high, which resulted in a "solid touchdown." Shortly after touchdown, while the flight instructor was guarding the rudder pedals with his feet, the airplane veered heavily left, which he attempted to correct with full right rudder and brake. Runway skid marks indicated that the airplane yawed left as it continued to veer left and then collide with a snow bank off the left side of the runway. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear steering system and the fractured left main landing gear trunnion revealed no evidence of preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. No mechanical reason for the loss of directional control was identified during postaccident examination.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,450 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 4,263 as pilot in command; 4,691 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 26, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gateway Aviation, Ltd.
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 7:35 pm
- Destination: XLL Allentown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,949 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from XLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.