Piper PA-28-161 accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1993
On August 29, 1993 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2572U, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County 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 visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgement of speed and distance, which resulted in a landing overrun of the runway. Factors were an embankment and the pilot not being able to abort the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1993 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2572U · registry record · serial 28-8016038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON RUNWAY 23, I DECIDED THAT MY SPEED WAS TOO HIGH AND THAT A GO-AROUND WOULD BE APPROPIATE. I STARTED TO ADD POWER, RETRACTED FLAPS, AND KEYED THE MICROPHONE TO ALERT THE CONTROL TOWER AS TO MY INTENTIONS. HOWEVER, I THEN NOTICED WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A HELICOPTER AT LOW ALTITUDE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MY LEFT AND MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF MY PLANNED FLIGHT PATH. I DECIDED TO TRY TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT; I REDUCED POWER AND BEGAN TO APPLY THE BRAKES. I REACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AT SLOW SPEED, BUT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE RUNWAY.' THE AIRPLANE WENT DOWN A 12 FOOT EMBANKMENT AND CAME TO A STOP. A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2/3 THE LENGTH OF 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 57 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WBW Forty Fort PA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,534 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC93LA179.