- Date
- June 25, 2000, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Robbinsville, NJ
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N36355Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000625043649A
- Case key
- 49556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. A factor was a crosswind.
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
The pilot stated that he landed approximately 1,000 feet beyond the threshold of Runway 29, a 4,275 foot long runway. A strong crosswind forced the airplane off the right side of the runway, onto grass. The airplane then traveled off the end of the runway, onto a golf course, and struck a tree. Witnesses at the airport stated that the airplane landed approximately 3,000 feet beyond the runway threshold, traveled off the right side, and onto the golf course. The reported winds were from 200 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
Factual narrative
On June 25, 2000, about 1430 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-28-161, N36355, was substantially damaged while landing at Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (N87), Robbinsville, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed McGuire Air Force Base, Wrightstown, New Jersey, about 1420.
The pilot stated that he landed "a good 1,000 feet down" Runway 29, a 4,275 foot long and 80 foot wide asphalt runway. According to his written statement, he experienced a strong left crosswind during the landing. The airplane traveled off the right side of the runway, onto grass. The pilot then attempted to abort the landing, but did not have enough airspeed or altitude to clear trees at the end of the runway. He then decided to commit to landing. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway, onto a golf course, and struck a tree.
Two witnesses at the airport stated that the airplane approached Runway 29 "fast." The airplane touched down about "two-thirds down the runway." It then traveled off the right side onto the grass, went beyond the end of the runway, and struck a tree. One witness heard the engine momentarily rev, but then reduce to idle power.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The inspector observed damage to the right wing and landing gear.
At an airport approximately 10 miles away, at 1453, the reported wind was from 200 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots. At an airport approximately 12 miles away, at 1455, the reported wind was from 190 degrees, variable from 160 to 220 degrees, at 17 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36355
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7816630
- Airframe hours
- 8,290
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mcguire Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Joseph P. Holt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 2000 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- WRI · Wrightstown, NJ
- Destination
- N87
- Airport
- N87 · Trenton-Robbinsville, runway 29, 4,275 × 80 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 289 total · 17 in this make and model · 225 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TTN, 10 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.