Piper PA-30

Aircraft Manufacturer: Piper

Model: PA-30

About the Piper PA-30

The Piper PA-30 sits in about the 90% band for accident rate within its peer cohort of similar type, engine class, and seat range, a higher accident rate than most comparable types. Across the type's FAA-registration exposure, the PA-30 records about 5 accidents per 1,000 aircraft-years. Of 92 recorded PA-30 accidents, 22 were fatal.

More than 800 PA-30 airframes remain on the U.S. civil registry, the 14th-largest active fleet in Piper's lineup. The PA-30 accounts for about 2% of Piper's active registered fleet. About half of all PA-30 registry records ever held have since been deregistered.

The PA-30 carries one active FAA airworthiness directive, and one AD has been issued against the type in total. The most recent PA-30 airworthiness directive was issued on August 28, 2017.

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Piper
Manufacturer Serial Number 7103002
Model PA-30
Category Land
Aircraft Type Fixed wing multi engine
Cruise Speed 139 MPH / 121 knots
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Reciprocating
Number of Engines 2 engines
Number of Seats 6 seats
Piper PA-30 Photo: Mike Burdett from CROMER, UK — cc-by-sa-2.0 via Wikimedia Commons Have a personal photo of the Piper PA-30? Contact us.

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.

99%
Identity Confirmed

Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).


79 exact, 12 recovered, 1 provisional

Methodology
92
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


22 fatal accidents.

23.9% of recorded accidents were fatal.

877
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


18,451

Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).


Comparison

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 →

Model class Share of cohort
Accidents
17.3%
Exposure
10.4%
Time series

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.

2008 – 2026 Total 92
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 92 observed): 2008 7, 2009 7, 2010 5, 2011 7, 2012 6, 2013 6, 2014 5, 2015 3, 2016 3, 2017 2, 2018 3, 2019 3, 2020 7, 2021 6, 2022 6, 2023 6, 2024 3, 2025 4, 2026 3. 3 6 9 12 0 7 '08 7 '09 5 '10 7 '11 6 '12 6 '13 5 '14 3 '15 3 '16 2 '17 3 '18 3 '19 7 '20 6 '21 6 '22 7 '23 3 '24 4 '25 9 '26
Composition

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.

9 categories Total 92
Landing 33
Initial climb 14
Enroute 14
Approach 13
Takeoff 11
Maneuvering 4
Uncontrolled descent 1
Post-impact 1
Unknown 1
Causes

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.

NTSB top-level codes Total 292
Aircraft 128
Personnel issues 117
Environmental issues 33
Not determined 13
Organizational issues 1
Outcomes

Injury severity

NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.

Highest per accident Total 91
None 52
Fatal 22
Serious 10
Minor 7

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (92)· NUSN (6)· UNK (1)

Recorded Accidents

All 92 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
Harrison, AR N7762Y Substantial Serious Initial climb Personnel issues, Aircraft
Kalispell, MT N7350Y Substantial Minor Takeoff Personnel issues, Aircraft
Bullhead City, AZ N7880Y Substantial Minor Approach Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Allentown, PA N931JS Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Biglerville, PA N8372Y Destroyed Fatal Enroute Aircraft, Personnel issues
Amarillo, TX N8306Y Substantial Fatal Emergency descent Aircraft, Personnel issues
Idaho Falls, ID N830SS Substantial Fatal Maneuvering Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Dayton, OH N7017Y Substantial None Takeoff Not determined, Personnel issues, Aircraft
Fullerton, CA N7497Y Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Jasper, AL N7700Y Destroyed Fatal Uncontrolled descent Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Phoenix, AZ N8747Y Substantial None Initial climb Personnel issues, Aircraft
Scappoose, OR N222BP Substantial None Landing Not determined, Environmental issues, Aircraft
Bragg City, MO N8121Y Substantial None Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft
Yelm, WA N8574Y Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Roanoke, TX N373JT Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Culpeper, VA N1WE Substantial None Landing Personnel issues, Aircraft
Saguache, CO N75BA Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues
St. Petersburg, FL N8314Y Substantial Serious Takeoff Aircraft, Personnel issues
Plant City, FL N325EE Substantial None Approach Aircraft
Phillipsburg, OH N7248Y Substantial Minor Takeoff Personnel issues, Aircraft, Not determined
Austin, TX N171ST Substantial None Landing Aircraft
Ruidoso, NM N7849Y Substantial None Initial climb Aircraft, Not determined, Environmental issues
Big Bear City, CA N64RJ Substantial Serious Prior to flight Aircraft, Not determined, Personnel issues
Tucson, AZ N628R Substantial None Landing Aircraft, Personnel issues
Douglas, GA N8734Y Substantial Serious Prior to flight Aircraft, Personnel issues

Page 3 of 4 (showing accidents 51–75 of 92).

Data presented on this website is sourced directly from official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. To ensure accuracy, we try not to correct issues such as improper punctuation, spelling errors, empty fields, or unusual labels like "SALE REPORTED" for a registrant. We make every effort to present information as it appears in the FAA database. This website is not affiliated with any government agency.