- Date
- August 11, 1986, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Sussex, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5803UPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860811038649A
- Case key
- 30402
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 Piper PA-28-140 had just taken off when the main cabin door unlocked at the top. The pilot returned for a landing, had to go-around due to traffic, and was on final for his second approach, with the top of the main cabin door still unlocked. When, passing a hill the aircraft started to sink and full power would not stop the descent. The aircraft struck telephone lines and a pole shearing off the right wing prior to hitting the ground. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries while the aircraft received substantial damage. The aircraft propeller tips were bent forward and the leading edge of the propeller had severe leading edge damage and chordwise scrapes. The engine was examined and no defects or malfunction could be found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5803U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-26630
- Airframe hours
- 8,239
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sussex Airport, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · April 3, 1986 · 39 hours before
- Airport
- N63 · Sussex, runway 21, 3,510 × 75 ft
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 202 total · 17 in this make and model · 131 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5803U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.