Atlantic City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamilton Twp., New Jersey 08330
Friday, February 19, 1988 22:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FINAL ON A NIGHT ILS RWY 13 APPROACH. RADAR DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED ALMOST 180 DEGREES OF TURN PRIOR TO DISAPPEARING. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE ON THE ENGINES OR AIRFRAME WAS FOUND. WHEN THE FLYING HISTORY OF THE PILOT WAS EXAMINED, THE HOURS PRESENTED ON HIS RESUME EXCEEDED HIS LOG BOOK AND HIS LOG BOOK HOURS COULD NOT BE TOTALLY VERIFIED. THE CO-PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE PILOT THAT PRECEDED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ON THE APPROACH SAID HE EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURBULENCE, WIND SHEAR AND THAT THE APPROACH LIGHTS WERE VERY DISTRACTING. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED WIND SHEAR AND MODERATE TURBULENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2202
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HAMILTON TWP.
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08330
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ATLANTIC CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ACY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 76
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2200 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ACY
Elevation of weather observation facility 70
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1676
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2248
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37848
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27400
NTSB Number NYC88FA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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-31-325
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-325
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7712093
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2909
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J.R. KENNARD & ASSOCIATES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1015 PHEASANT MEADOW RD
Aircraft Owner City BLUE BELL
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19422
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ATLANTIC CITY AIR TAXI
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BADER FIELD
Operator City ATLANTIC CITY
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08420
Operator Code EGQA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OWD
Departure City NORWOOD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2109
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ACY
Destination City ATLANTIC CITY
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 13
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 180
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --