Piper PA-28-151 accident near Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1990
On August 2, 1990 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N6177J, was destroyed in an accident near Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania (Mt. Pocono Muni. airport). It was a personal 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
A HARD LANDING AFTER THE PILOT PERCEIVED AN ENGINE PROBLEM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CONTROL HIS AIRSPEED AND FLARE DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1990 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania · Mt. Pocono Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N6177J · registry record · serial 28-7615322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE AFTER TAKEOFF. HE THEN TRIED TO RETURN FOR A LANDING DOWNWIND. HE TOUCHED DOWN LONG, FAST, AND HARD. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS CONFIRMED THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT STEERED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE RUNWAY INTO TREES WHERE A WING TANK WAS RUPTURED. THE OCCUPANTS EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE AND A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. POST CRASH EXAMINATION BY THE FAA FAILED TO FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A PRE EXISTING MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THEY ALSO SAID THEY COULD FIND NO MECHANICAL EXPLANATION FOR THE ACCELERATION REPORTED BY THE OCCUPANTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 70 as pilot in command; 60 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1989; 770 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6177J 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.