Piper PA-24-260
Aircraft Manufacturer: Piper
Model: PA-24-260
About the Piper PA-24-260
On safety, the Piper PA-24-260 sits at about half of its peer cohort of the same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range on the safety percentile, where a higher percentile means a higher accident rate. The PA-24-260 has 39 recorded accidents in the FAA safety data, and 8 of those 39 recorded accidents involved a fatality. The model's accident rate is about 3.4 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years over the type's own FAA-registration exposure. Sitting at about half of its peer cohort, the PA-24-260 carries an accident rate near the middle of that cohort.
For standing in the maker's catalog, the PA-24-260 holds the 17th-largest active fleet among Piper's registered models. The type keeps more than 500 aircraft on the active U.S. civil registry, and accounts for about 1% of Piper's total active registered fleet. Across all U.S. registry records ever held for the PA-24-260, just over a third have been deregistered.
Aircraft Details
| Manufacturer | Piper |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer Serial Number | 7102406 |
| Model | PA-24-260 |
| Category | Land |
| Aircraft Type | Fixed wing single engine |
| Cruise Speed | 135 MPH / 117 knots |
| Weight | Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight) |
| Engine Type | Reciprocating |
| Number of Engines | 1 engine |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats |
Photo: Alan Radecki Akradecki —
cc-by-sa-4.0
via Wikimedia Commons
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Safety Analysis
Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.
Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).
26 exact, 13 recovered, 0 provisional
MethodologyTotal recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.
8 fatal accidents.
20.5% of recorded accidents were fatal.
Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.
11,611
Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).
Within its peer cohort
Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).
This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →
Accidents by year
Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →
Investigations take 12–36 months to finalise, so the trailing years come in incomplete. Recent years are adjusted upward for that lag. Observed counts show as solid bars, the lag-adjusted estimate shows hatched.
Phase of flight
Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.
Finding category
Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.
Injury severity
NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.
Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (39)
Recorded Accidents
All 39 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.
| Date | Location | Tail | Damage | Highest injury | Phase of flight | Finding categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, GA | N9024P | Substantial | None | Landing | unknown | |
| West Yellowstone, MT | N9366P | Substantial | None | Enroute | unknown | |
| Ashland, WI | N8817P | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Cherokee, OK | N4284 | Substantial | None | Emergency descent | Not determined, Environmental issues, Aircraft | |
| Anthony, KS | N8729P | Substantial | Serious | Approach | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Fullerton, CA | N503JA | Substantial | Minor | Enroute | Aircraft | |
| San Jose, CA | N9267P | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Athens, GA | N9026P | Substantial | Minor | Enroute | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Rapid City, SD | N478WT | Substantial | None | Landing | Not determined | |
| Lewisburg, TN | N9077P | Substantial | None | Takeoff | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Terre Haute, IN | N73T | Substantial | None | Landing | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Blairsville, GA | N9126P | Destroyed | Fatal | Initial climb | Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues | |
| Robbinsville, NJ | N79RG | Substantial | Serious | Initial climb | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Slaton, TX | N9184P | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Scottsdale, AZ | N9456P | Destroyed | Fatal | Prior to flight | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Fargo, ND | N9360P | Substantial | None | Enroute | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Los Angeles, CA | N9020P | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Hollywood, AL | N8560P | Substantial | None | Enroute | Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| Wadsworth, OH | N991K | Substantial | None | Approach | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| Santa Rosa, CA | N9362P | Substantial | Fatal | Approach | Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues | |
| West Bend, WI | N8583P | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Spring Branch, TX | N9032P | Destroyed | Fatal | Prior to flight | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Everglades City, FL | N254WM | Substantial | None | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft | |
| Eagle, CO | N856CC | Substantial | Serious | Approach | Aircraft, Personnel issues | |
| La Pointe, WI | N8815P | Destroyed | Fatal | Landing | Personnel issues, Aircraft |
Page 1 of 2 (showing accidents 1–25 of 39).