- Date
- March 5, 2000, 12:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place
- West Milford, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2761MPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000305007699A
- Case key
- 48730
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A factor in this accident was the gusty crosswind conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While landing on Runway 6, a 4,000 foot-long, 60 foot-wide, asphalt runway, the airplane began to veer to the left and the pilot attempted a go-around. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, where it began to strike rocks and bushes. The airplane then entered a gully, where it came rest, about 350 feet before the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane. Winds reported at an airport about 18 miles south of the accident site, were from 320 degrees, at 11 knots, with 16 knot gusts. Additionally, a witness stated that at the time of the accident the crosswind was 'strong and gusty.'
Factual narrative
On March 5, 2000, about 1235 Eastern Standard Time, a Piper PA-28-161, N2761M, was substantially damaged while landing at the Greenwood Lake Airport, West Milford, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injures. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about 1100. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was landing on Runway 6, a 4,000 foot-long, 60 foot-wide, asphalt runway.
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the pilot said the airplane touched down about 2,000 feet beyond the approach end of the runway and to the left of the runway center line. When the airplane began to drift to the left, the pilot attempted a go-around. The airplane drifted off the left side of the runway, and began to strike rocks and bushes.
The airplane then entered a gully, where it came rest, about 350 feet before the departure end of the runway.
The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Winds reported at an airport about 18 miles south of the accident site, at 1253, were from 320 degrees, at 11 knots, with 16 knot gusts. Additionally, a witness stated that at the time of the accident the crosswind was "strong and gusty."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2761M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816308
- Airframe hours
- 7,534
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hortman Aviation Services Inc.
- Registered owner
- Robert Simpson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 15, 2000 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Destination
- 4N1
- Airport
- 4N1 · Greenwood Lake, runway 6, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 289 total · 274 in this make and model · 229 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CDW, 18 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.