Essex Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caldwell, New Jersey 07006
Wednesday, October 1, 1986 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT IN COMMAND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME TOO LOW DURING A NIGHT SIMULATED EMERGENCY (ENGINE OUT) DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE TOPS OF TREES, BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND CRASHED TO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 15
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CALDWELL
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07006
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ESSEX
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CDW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 175
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
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 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) 2306
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32960
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 5:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8320A
NTSB Number NYC87LA001
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-28RT-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R8118048
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 1737
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENERAL AVIATION CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 480 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City TETERBORO
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT A. GOLDSTONE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 270 BELLAIR ROAD
Operator City RIDGEWOOD
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07450
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City TETERBORO
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 2345
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 4550
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --