Piper PA-601 accident near Penn Yan, New York, August 30, 1993
On August 30, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-601, registered N60721, was substantially damaged in an accident near Penn Yan, New York (Penn Yan 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
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with an obstacle and the ground. A factor is the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Penn Yan, New York · Penn Yan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-601
- Registration
- N60721 · no longer on the register · serial 61P0736806
- 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 HE MADE TWO UNSUCCESSFUL LANDING ATTEMPTS ON RUNWAY 10 BEFORE HE DETERMINED THE WINDS FAVORED A LANDING ON RUNWAY 28. DURING THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 28, HE NOTICED POWER LINES AND CAMPERS AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'ON THE APPROACH, MY ATTENTION WAS DISTRACTED . . . BY THE WIRES . . . THE CAMPERS, (AND A) MOUND OF DIRT. I FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY . . . I HIT THE POWER LINE AND WAS ABLE TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL . . . BUT IT DROPPED TO 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 691 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 412 as pilot in command; 255 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AOO Altoona PA at 3:10 pm
- Destination: N22
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 3,265 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 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 N60721 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.