Piper PA-24-260 accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1993
On August 29, 1993 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9249P, was destroyed in an accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania (Seamans airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY FAILING TO PROPERLY SET THE STABILATOR TRIM TAB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1993 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Factoryville, Pennsylvania · Seamans · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9249P · no longer on the register · serial 4558
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON A 2500 FEET LONG RUNWAY, AND AT MID-FIELD HE ROTATED THE AIRPLANE AT A SPEED OF 75 MPH. AFTER RETRACTING THE FLAPS, THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO RISE DESPITE THE PILOT'S EFFORTS TO LOWER THE NOSE. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOME TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE STABILATOR TRIM TAB AND INDICATOR WERE IN THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND STABILATOR TRIM REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,192 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,192 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1993; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9N3 PA at 4:05 pm
- Destination: N63 Sussex NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.