Piper PA 34 accident near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, May 18, 2017
On May 18, 2017 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 2000 Piper PA 34, registered N34JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania (Skyhaven 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 adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2017 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania · Skyhaven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 34 220T, built 2000 · all PA 34s on the register
- Registration
- N34JM · registry record · serial 3449177
- 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, during landing and while in ground affect, "the airplane suddenly, and without an aural stall warning, lost lift and was forced onto the runway." Subsequently, the nose gear landing collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located about 15 miles from the accident site reported that, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 230° at 10 knots. The pilot landed on runway 19.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,186 hours in all; 1,342 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 3,126 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 15, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,422 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-360RB1B (piston); 1,422 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental LTSIO-360RB2B (piston); 840 hours total
- Operator: Auto Milestones LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5B6 Falmouth MA at 12:20 pm
- Destination: 76N Tunkhannock PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,007 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KAVP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 5, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.