Piper PA-23-250 accident near State College, Pennsylvania, December 16, 2005
On December 16, 2005 at about 2:09 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62497, was substantially damaged in an accident near State College, Pennsylvania (University Park Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 directional control during the takeoff run. A factor was the snow-covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2005 · about 2:09 am local time
- Place
- State College, Pennsylvania · University Park Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62497 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot taxied to the snow-covered runway for takeoff, and following a run-up check of the engines, taxied onto the runway and began the takeoff roll. The airplane accelerated "normally" down the runway, and when it reached about 80 knots airspeed, it veered to the left. The airplane subsequently departed the runway and impacted a snow bank, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNV State College PA
- Destination: PNE Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.