What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 31, 2006 a Piper PA-28-236, N48ED, crashed into a wooded area, approximately 150 feet from route 72 west in Manahawkin, NJ. The pilot and all three of his passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed. The pilot was not instrument rated. Weather briefing was obtained with "VFR not recommended", due to low ceiling & visibilities. The forecast was improvement to VFR. A flight plan was not filed. The flight departed somerset airport (smq landing at old bridge airport (3N6) to pick up two passengers and then onto atlantic city bader field (aiy). The pilot contacted atlantic city approach (acy) when he was unable to arrive at bader due to the weather. The pilot obtained a squawk code, for the return to 3N6. As the aircraft turned back control was lost and the aircraft was observed (by radar) rapidly losing altitude. This was confirmed by two different radar controlling agencies, atlantic city approach (which was "working" the aircraft) and mcguire afb rapcon (which their radar "overlaps" atlantic city approach's coverage). There was an in-flight breakup of the aircraft. A nine foot section of the left wing tip and a seven foot section of the right wing tip were found in two lagoons. The right aileron was found on a roof top next to the lagoon that the left wing tip was found. The aircraft's stabilator was found in four pieces on a property next to the lagoons that the wings were found in and there were many small pieces also found around this housing development. These parts were found approximately 2000 feet from the main wreckage. (See pictorial). All pieces were identified and marked by GPS.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 31, 2006 A PIPER PA-28-236, N48ED, CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA, APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM ROUTE 72 WEST IN MANAHAWKIN, NJ. THE PILOT AND ALL THREE OF HIS PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) EXISTED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED WITH "VFR NOT RECOMMENDED", DUE TO LOW CEILING & VISIBILITIES. THE FORECAST WAS IMPROVEMENT TO VFR. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SOMERSET AIRPORT (SMQ LANDING AT OLD BRIDGE AIRPORT (3N6) TO PICK UP TWO PASSENGERS AND THEN ONTO ATLANTIC CITY BADER FIELD (AIY). THE PILOT CONTACTED ATLANTIC CITY APPROACH (ACY) WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO ARRIVE AT BADER DUE TO THE WEATHER. THE PILOT OBTAINED A SQUAWK CODE, FOR THE RETURN TO 3N6. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED BACK CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED (BY RADAR) RAPIDLY LOSING ALTITUDE. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY TWO DIFFERENT RADAR CONTROLLING AGENCIES, ATLANTIC CITY APPROACH (WHICH WAS "WORKING" THE AIRCRAFT) AND MCGUIRE AFB RAPCON (WHICH THEIR RADAR "OVERLAPS" ATLANTIC CITY APPROACH'S COVERAGE). THERE WAS AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT. A NINE FOOT SECTION OF THE LEFT WING TIP AND A SEVEN FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING TIP WERE FOUND IN TWO LAGOONS. THE RIGHT AILERON WAS FOUND ON A ROOF TOP NEXT TO THE LAGOON THAT THE LEFT WING TIP WAS FOUND. THE AIRCRAFT'S STABILATOR WAS FOUND IN FOUR PIECES ON A PROPERTY NEXT TO THE LAGOONS THAT THE WINGS WERE FOUND IN AND THERE WERE MANY SMALL PIECES ALSO FOUND AROUND THIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THESE PARTS WERE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. (SEE PICTORIAL). ALL PIECES WERE IDENTIFIED AND MARKED BY GPS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.