Piper PA-32-260 accident near Monongahela, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1991
On August 1, 1991 at about 3:12 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3722W, was destroyed in an accident near Monongahela, Pennsylvania (Rostraver airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ACHIEVE A PROPER TOUCHDOWN ON THE RUNWAY DUE TO DIVERTED ATTENTION, PRESSURE, AND OTHER PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1991 · about 3:12 am local time
- Place
- Monongahela, Pennsylvania · Rostraver · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3722W · no longer on the register · serial 32-634
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING AT NIGHT, AT AN AIRPORT WITH RUNWAY LIGHTS AND A VASI. THE AIRPLANE LANDED 160 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND 20 FEET BELOW THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE FUEL TANKS RUPTURED AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED FORWARD, COMING TO REST ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A EMERGENCY LANDING. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT WAS HEAVY IN DEBT AND HAD EMBEZZLED CLIENTS FUNDS. THE SITUATION HAD REACHED THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD HAVE BECOME PUBLIC WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,490 hours in all; 556 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,353 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AGC West Mifflin PA at 1:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.