Piper PA-32-260 accident near Collegeville, Pennsylvania, February 9, 2004
On February 9, 2004, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N1563X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Collegeville, Pennsylvania (Perkiomen Valley Airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during approach to the runway. Factors in the accident were the dark night and snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2004
- Place
- Collegeville, Pennsylvania · Perkiomen Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N1563X · no longer on the register · serial 32-7500037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach at night, the airplane's right wing struck one or more limbs of a tree. The pilot continued toward the runway and struck a snowbank 100 feet prior to the runway threshold, sheering off the right landing gear. The pilot applied power, continued to fly down the runway to observe further obstructions, and then returned to land on the departure end of the runway. As the airplane touched down, it swerved off the right side of the runway, and came to rest in the grass. According to the Northeast U.S. Airport Facility Directory, a "tree" notation is listed for runway 27 at N10.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,821 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,568 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLO Florence SC at 9:30 pm
- Destination: N10 Collegeville PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 2,950 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from PTW, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N1563X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.