Robert J. Miller Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toms River, New Jersey 08753
Sunday, September 12, 1999 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While taking off from the originating airport, the pilot felt a slight impact on the right main landing gear about halfway down the runway. The takeoff was continued, and the airplane lifted off normally. The pilot attempted to retract the gear, and it would not retract. The flight was continued uneventfully to the destination airport and a landing was made on the damaged right main landing gear, which immediately collapsed. According to the airport manager at the originating airport the airplane 'seemed to use all of the available runway.' A second witness stated that the airplane used the whole runway and hit a 2-foot high berm at the end. 'It was the berm that put him into the air.' A passenger in the airplane stated the airplane lifted off about 2/3 of the way down the runway and heard a 'kabang' at the same time as the liftoff. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right main landing gear forward retainer assembly and retaining bolt were sheared. When viewed from the face of the shear point, the forward retainer had a significant impact driving the landing gear rearward.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain proper clearance over an obstacle.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/12/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TOMS RIVER
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08753
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROBERT J. MILLER AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MJX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 82
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1340
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1486
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2001 2:14PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8313R
NTSB Number NYC99LA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-201RT
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-201R
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8118041
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 1844
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name F+M FLYING FERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 415 NELSON AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BEACH HAVEN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08008
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3W3
Departure City STEVENSVILLE
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MJX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 5949
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --