Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toms River, New Jersey 08753
Sunday, April 15, 1984 19:54 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT STATED THAT WHEN USING HIS BIFOCAL CORRECTIVE LENSES, HE HAD TO TILT HIS HEAD BACK TO INCLUDE THE ALTIMETER IN HIS INSTRUMENT SCAN. IN THE FINAL PHASE OF THE APPROACH, HE FAILED TO NOTE THE ALTIMETER AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1954
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TOMS RIVER
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08753
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AIR PARK AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N44
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 82
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1954 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID WRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2742
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26685
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15VP
NTSB Number NYC84FA138
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35-C33
Aircraft Series Identifier 35-C33
Aircraft Serial Number CD-1024
Certified Max Gross Weight 3050
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 Apr 12 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 3407
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD VANDER PLOEG
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 20 CAMELOT DRIVE
Operator City TOMS RIVER
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 08753
Operator Code
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 --
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 CRE
Departure City NO.MYRTLE BEACH
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1651
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N44
Destination City TOMS RIVER
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 5953
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --