Piper PA-32-300 accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania, August 8, 2003
On August 8, 2003 at about 11:49 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N6373C, was destroyed in an accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania (Seaman'S Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to descend below the published minimum descent altitude while executing a non-precision approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in collision with trees. A factor was the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2003 · about 11:49 am local time
- Place
- Factoryville, Pennsylvania · Seaman'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N6373C · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated pilot was cleared by air traffic control to execute the published VOR instrument approach procedure into his destination airport. Witnesses stated that the weather was foggy with forward visibility ranging from 0 to 100 feet. The witnesses heard the airplane fly over the airport with a low engine rpm, followed by an increase in rpm and the sound of trees breaking. The airplane came to rest about 100 yards northwest of runway 4/22 in heavily wooded terrain. The published inbound course for the VOR approach was 309 degrees, and the minimum descent altitude (MDA) utilizing Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania's, altimeter setting was 1,860 feet msl. The published weather minimums included a 600-foot ceiling and a 1-mile visibility. A hand held global position system (GPS) receiver was located near the main wreckage. Information downloaded from the receiver revealed that the entire flight was recorded. The GPS began recording at 0716:31 and ended at 0749:44. A review of the last 1 minute and 3 seconds of recorded data revealed that the airplane was headed 299 degrees, then initiated a turn to a heading of 017 degrees as it flew over the runway. While descending from an altitude of 2,000 feet to 1,268 feet mean sea level, before the data ended. Two instrument approach plates (one was Jeppesen and the other N.O.S) for the VOR or GPS-A instrument approach were found in the airplane wreckage. On the backside of the Jeppensen approach plate was an airport diagram of the airport. A review of the diagram revealed the trees located along the northwestern boundary of the airport were at an elevation of 1,287 feet. The published airport elevation was 1,209 feet msl.
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: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 445 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 24, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTW Pottstown PA at 11:16 am
- Destination: 9N3 Factoryville PA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from AVP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.