Piper PA-34-200T accident near Coatesville, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1992
On August 24, 1992 at about 12:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N37DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coatesville, Pennsylvania (Chester County Carlson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH AND EVENTUAL TOUCHING DOWN OFF THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LOSS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION AND FOG.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1992 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Coatesville, Pennsylvania · Chester County Carlson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N37DD · registry record · serial 34-7970481
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN ILS APPROACH HE DID NOT SEE THE RUNWAY AT DECISION HEIGHT AND INITIATED A MISSED APPROACH. AFTER INITIATING THE MISSED APPROACH THE RUNWAY BECAME VISIBLE AND HE REDUCED POWER FOR A LANDING. DURING THE FLARE, THE PILOT LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY BECAUSE OF GROUND FOG. THE AIRPLANE HAD DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND TOUCHED DOWN IN THE GRASSY AREA TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE AIRPLANE SLID OUT OF CONTROL ON THE WET GRASS. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE AIRPLANE SLID ON THE GRASS, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN THE AIRPLANE SLID BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,830 hours in all; 1,306 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,725 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26N Ocean City NJ at 11:45 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°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.