Essex County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caldwell, New Jersey 07006
Monday, August 20, 1984 14:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HIT THE SURFACE OF THE WATER DURING A LOW PASS WHICH WAS DESCRIBED BY A WITNESS AS 10-30 FT AGL & DONE IN A SERIES OF PASSES WITH 'WINGS WOBBLING' UNTIL THE PASS THAT DAMAGED THE GEAR & WING CAUSING THE PLT & ACFT TO DEPART THE AREA. UPON RETURNING TO DEPARTURE ARPT THE ACFT WAS LANDING & THE NOSE GEAR & RT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. PRIOR TO LANDING THE GEAR STRUT WAS PROTRUDING THRU THE TOP OF THE RT WING GIVING THE PLT A VISUAL CLUE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFTS UNDERCARRIAGE. AFTER THE GEAR FINISHED COLLAPSING ON THE RWY, THE ACFT SKIDDED OFF THE SIDE FURTHER DAMAGING THE RT WING, RT GEAR, RT FLAP, PROP, NOSE GEAR AND COWLING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CALDWELL
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07006
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ESSEX COUNTY
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 173
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2378
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26308
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4314L
NTSB Number NYC84LA280
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8316107
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 30 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 344
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GITHEO AIRSHIP, LTD. CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11 CHESTNUT STREET
Aircraft Owner City WALLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07057
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MACDAN AVIATION CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 135 PASSAIC AVE.
Operator City FAIRFIELD
Operator State NJ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 07006
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
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 Landing
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 4
Runway Length 4553
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --