Greenwood Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Milford, New Jersey 07480
Friday, July 27, 2001 10:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 6, a 4,000 foot-long, 60 foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the landing flare a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left and the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway and began to impact quarry stone and brush. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot reported 96 hours of total flight experience, which included 52 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane. Winds reported at an airport about 15 miles west-northwest of the accident site, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, were from 300 degrees at 10 knots, with 15 knot gusts. The reported winds at the same airport, about 30 minutes after the accident, were variable at 6 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Factor’s in this accident were a wind gust and the rocks located off the left side of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City West Milford
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07480
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410742N
Event Location Longitude 0742045W
Event Location Airport GREENWOOD LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4N1
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 791
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID FWN
Elevation of weather observation facility 421
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.31
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12151
NTSB Notification Source Teterboro FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2002 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4915L
NTSB Number NYC01LA200
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4280
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 3206
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Aviation Services LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 111 Woodside Avenue
Aircraft Owner City West Milford
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07450
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 4N1
Departure City West Milford
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 4N1
Destination City WEST MILFORD
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --