Piper PA-34-200T accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 10, 2001
On October 10, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N91284, was substantially damaged in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Northeast Philadelphia 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The collapse of the right main landing gear for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Northeast Philadelphia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N91284 · registry record · serial 34-7970111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor were conducting a VFR training flight, and had completed the departure and en route portions without incident. Once in the terminal area, the tower advised the pilot to enter a right base for runway 24. The pilot lowered the landing gear, and verbalized it was down with "three in the green" and "one in the mirror." The instructor looked at the landing gear indicator, and confirmed the gear was down and locked. The instructor called for the "prelanding checklist," and the pilot confirmed it was complete. The airplane was cleared to land. On short final, the instructor called out mixture rich, propellers full forward, and landing gear down with "three green." The airplane touched down and the instructor commented to the pilot, "nice landing." The right main landing gear then collapsed, and the airplane veered to the right. The right wing struck a runway light, and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to a stop up right with the left main landing gear still down and locked. The instructor along with the pilot exited the airplane. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions. In addition, a witness saw the nose wheel, along with the left and right main landing gear in the down position when the airplane landed.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: 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: 9,800 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 9,306 as pilot in command; 9,050 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 836 hours in all; 636 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 563 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N10 Collegeville PA at 7:56 pm
- Destination: PNE Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from PNE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC02LA007.