Piper PA-34-220T accident near W.Mifflin, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1989
On April 15, 1989 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N8468H, was substantially damaged in an accident near W.Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny CO. airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER LEVEL OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT GEAR COLLAPSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1989 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- W.Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8468H · no longer on the register · serial 34-8233038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH THE NOSE GEAR AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND NOSE SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE INDICATED THAT A HARD LANDING WAS MADE.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,202 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,529 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,057 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 4, 1989; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-K8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Carlin Investiment CO.
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 4:00 pm
- Destination: AGC W.Mifflin PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N8468H 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.