Piper PA-34 accident near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, December 1, 1985
On December 1, 1985 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34, registered N4324D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hazleton, Pennsylvania (Hazleton airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1985 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hazleton, Pennsylvania · Hazleton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N4324D · registry record · serial 34-8433019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PIPER AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE RUNWAY DURING LANDING AT HAZLETON PENNSYLVANIA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE FIRST APPROACH WAS MISSED DUE TO BAD VISIBILITY. THE FLIGHT RETURNED TO THE INITIAL APRROACH FIX FOR A SECOND ATTEMPT. THE PILOT BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 700 FT, THE PILOT SET FULL FLAPS AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT MID WAY DOWN RUNWAY 28. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO HYROPLANE ON THE WET SURFACE. ON APPLYING POWER FOR GO AROUND, THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO ABORT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY BREAKING ONE RUNWAY LIGHT, GROUND LOOPED COLLAPSING RIGHT MAIN GEAR.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,140 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 123 in the last 90 days; 27,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 285 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: HZL Hazleton PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 4,900 ft by 90 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.