Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vernon, New Jersey 07422
Friday, September 16, 1994 10:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT CURRENT PILOT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE, WHEN HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT. WHEN CLEARED TO CONTINUE THE CLIMB TO 6000 FT, AND JOIN THE AIRWAY, RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE STARTED A RIGHT TURN AND CLIMBED TO 3300 FT. IT THEN DESCENDED TO 3200 FEET FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS, AND CONTINUED THE TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE TURN AND DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT 2600 FT, 1/2 NM FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. WITNESSES REPORTED AN OVERCAST IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED HE SAW THE AIRPLANE FLYING WINGS LEVEL JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS. THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED LEFT, AND WITH NO CHANGE IN ENGINE POWER, DESCENDED INTO THE WATER IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted a loss of control and inflight collision with the terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1002
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERNON
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07422
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID CDW
Elevation of weather observation facility 173
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1902
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81X
NTSB Number NYC94FA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7911042
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1707
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT DOLAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 LAKESIDE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HEWITT
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07421
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 4N1
Departure City WEST MILFORD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 956
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2B4
Destination City NEWPORT
Destination State RI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --