Piper PA-32-301 accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania, May 4, 2001
On May 4, 2001 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N434DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania (Seaman'S Field). 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 reach the proper touchdown point, and his subsequent failure to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2001 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Factoryville, Pennsylvania · Seaman'S Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N434DJ · registry record · serial 32-8406008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed with a tailwind, and touched down between one-third and halfway down the 2,500-foot runway. The brakes were applied, but the airplane overran the departure end of the runway. The pilot said that his airspeed at touchdown was "…excessive, and despite full braking, I overran the runway." According to the pilot, he had the opportunity to abort the landing, but he chose to continue the landing with the brakes applied. The pilot reported 173 hours of flight experience, 139 hours of which were in make and model. He said there were no mechanical deficiencies 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 173 hours in all; 139 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 74 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 11, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,011 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2001; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N9 Allentown PA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 9N3 Factoryville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from AVP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.