Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Eagles Nest Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
West Creek, New Jersey 08092
Monday, September 30, 2002 15:35 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Two witnesses reported that the pilot completed a preflight inspection of his airplane, but they could not confirm if he sumped the fuel tanks. They saw the airplane taxi to the 3,200-foot long, 60-foot wide, asphalt runway; and heard the engine run-up. The witnesses then observed the airplane begin a takeoff roll. As it passed behind trees, they did not see the airplane climb above the tree line. One witness heard a sputter, while the other witness heard the engine noise cease, with no roughness. They then heard the sound of impact. A third witness did not see the accident, but heard the engine race at full throttle, then the sound of impact. The airplane came to rest approximately 2,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway, 1,200 feet prior to the departure end of the runway, and 176 feet to the right of the runway centerline. It was oriented nose down, in a near vertical attitude. Two freshly cut tree branches were located near the wreckage. One branch was approximately 1 inch in diameter, and the other branch was approximately 3 inches in diameter. One propeller blade exhibited chord-wise scratching, and an approximate 4-inch section of the tip was missing from the other propeller blade. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine. Traces of water in were found in the fuel servo and fuel manifold. The airplane was not kept in a hangar. Approximately 1/2 inch of rain fell 4 days prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection which failed to detect water-contaminated fuel, and his failure to maintain airspeed.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/30/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1535 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | West Creek |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 08092 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393955N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0741829W |
| Event Location Airport | Eagles Nest Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 31E |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 35 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 235 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ACY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 76 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13419 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 30 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1645 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2003 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Philadelphia, PA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5556Q |
| NTSB Number | NYC02FA200 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 631 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2575 |
| 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 | Sep 3 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3993 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John C. Hoffman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Long Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 08008 |
| 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 | 31E |
| Departure City | West Creek |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1535 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 31E |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 27 2003 1:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 3200 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |