Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wall Township, New Jersey 07719
Sunday, August 21, 1988 15:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PVT PILOT OF A PIPER PA-28-150 TOOK OFF WITH ONE PASSENGER AND FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, HE BECAME UNCONSCIOUS. THE PASSENGER GAVE THE PILOT MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION; HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS NOT REVIVED. THE NON-PILOT PASSENGER ATTEMPTED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING AND STRUCK TREES. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE UNCONSCIOUS PILOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHERE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REVIVE HIM. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITY WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD. THE PILOT HAD BEEN UNDER TREATMENT FOR HYPERTENSION (HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE). AN AUTOPSY SHOWED SEVERE OCCLUSION OF HIS CORONARY ARTERIES. TOXICOLOGY TEST REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF VERAMPAMIL, A CARDIAC MEDICATION WHICH HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED. THE PASSENGER HAD NO PREVIOUS FLYING EXPERIENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INCAPACITATION OF THE PILOT DUE TO A HEART ATTACK AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN TREES BY A NON-PILOT PASSENGER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WALL TOWNSHIP
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07719
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2346
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1602
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39768
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5474W
NTSB Number NYC88LA224
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-28-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-150
Aircraft Serial Number 28-556
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT W. BUNYON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 28 MONROE ST.
Aircraft Owner City MATAWAN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07747
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2N8
Departure City MATAWAN
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2N8
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --