Piper PA-34-200 accident near Hagerstown, Maryland, April 13, 2001
On April 13, 2001 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N55134, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hagerstown, Maryland (Washington County Regional 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 runway alignment during the landing phase. A factor in the accident was a sudden change in wind direction and speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2001 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hagerstown, Maryland · Washington County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55134 · registry record · serial 34-7350177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot requested and was cleared for the ILS Runway 27 approach. While on final, the airplane encountered light to occasional moderate turbulence, and required a 30-40 degree drift correction to maintain course. When the airplane was 2 miles from the runway, the tower controller reported the wind as 300 degrees at 18 knots. The pilot continued the approach and 100 to 50 feet above the ground felt the crosswind "dramatically" subside. The pilot was then able to maintain runway alignment with no wind correction. The landing phase continued without incident until the airplane was 3-5 feet above the runway. The pilot then felt a "significant and abrupt" buffeting of the airplane. The airplane "weather-vaned" to the right, rolled left, and started to drift left of the centerline. The pilot applied corrective action; however, the airplane touched down nose wheel first, bounced back into the air, and then touched down nose wheel first again. The nose gear collapsed and the propellers contacted the runway.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,530 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,283 as pilot in command; 741 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEF Manassas VA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: HGR Hagerstown MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,461 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from HGR
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.