# NTSB NYC94LA136: Piper PA-34-200T, N40996, Lumberton, NJ, July 25, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 24, 1994, 20:53 local (Jul 25, 1994, 00:53 UTC) - Place: Lumberton, NJ - Location: 39.9343° N, 74.8072° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FLYING W (N14), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9343&lon=-74.8072&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 26, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38798 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA136 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38798/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA136 ## Probable cause The pilot's (1) improper recovery from a bounced landing and (2) failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing. A factor is the pilot's improper landing flare. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE PILOT COMPLETED A CIRCLING APPROACH TO RUNWAY 01. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED THREE TIMES. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING AND APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK TREES. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED IN HIS REPORT, 'PILOT LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT WHEN APPLYING FULL POWER WHILE RECOVERING FROM LAST BOUNCE. [HE] ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. [THE] AIRCRAFT BANKED STEEPLY TO LEFT AND IMPACTED TREES.' ## Factual narrative On Sunday, July 24, 1994, at 2053 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N40996, registered to Thomas L. Bradley, and piloted by Gregory T. Fossum, was destroyed at the Flying "W" Airport, Lumberton, New Jersey. The pilot was seriously injured; one passenger received minor injuries; and a second passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed Milwaukee, Wisconsin, destined for New Jersey. Upon arrival, the pilot was provided vectors to the airport. When the runway was in sight, he conducted a visual, circling approach to runway 01. In his report, he stated, "[I] circled to 01 at...100 mph. [I] attempted a landing [and] bounced three times. [I applied] full throttle and attempted a go-around. [The] plane veered to the left into trees." Mr. Robert V. Drapala, a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, stated in his report, "Pilot lost control of aircraft when applying full power while recovering from last bounce for an attempted go-around. Aircraft banked steeply to left and impacted trees." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40996](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40996-1995-04-12), registration cancelled 1995-04-12, S/N 347570175 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200T - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7570175 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-360-E 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Thomas L. Bradley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: MKE, MILWAUKEE, WI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: N14, Flying W, runway 1, 3,496 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 304 total, 42 in this make and model, 259 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 150° at 5 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken - Observed at: WRI, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940724019119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940724019119A), Jul 24, 1994: Piper PA34200T, Lumberton, NJ, Destroyed. Circling to runway 01. Bounced three times. Began go around. Veered into trees. Lost control trying to recover. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.