Somerset Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bedminster, New Jersey 07921
Thursday, July 18, 1985 15:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N4319F HEARD N6139J ANNOUNCE ITS POSITION IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THROUGHOUT THE APPROACH AND LANDING. N4319F LANDED ON RUNWAY 30 AND WAS TAXIING BACK TO THE RAMP ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. THE OCCUPANTS OF N4319F OBSERVED N6139J LAND ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND MAKE A LEFT TURN TOWARDS N4319F. THE PILOT OF N4319F APPLIED FULL POWER AND RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. N6319J ENCOUNTERED A CROSSWIND DURING THE FLARE AND LANDED WITH THE LEFT WHEEL OFF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT AND TURNED ABOUT 30 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WINGS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AND WERE DAMAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BEDMINSTER
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07921
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOMERSET
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N52
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 105
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 192
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 31
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N6139J N4319F
NTSB Number NYC85LA180A NYC85LA180B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140 PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140 PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7625222 28-7725007
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection -- Mar 8 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 10
Airframe Hours 7000 3101
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No Yes
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name SOMERSET AIR SERVICE SOMERSET AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7, SOMERSET ARPT. BOX 7 SOMERSET ARPT
Aircraft Owner City BEDMINSTER BEDMINSTER
Aircraft Owner State NJ NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07921 07921
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MEDFORD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 1445
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing Landing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30 30
Runway Length 2735 2735
Runway Width 65 65
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --