- Date
- April 9, 1997, 15:05 local (19:05 UTC)
- Place
- Vincentown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9768CPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 2, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970409005529A
- Case key
- 39342
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 failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in an on ground loss of control. A contributing 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 reported that after touchdown on runway 5, he applied the brakes and the airplane swerved left. The airplane went of the left side of the runway and struck trees. FAA examination of the brake system did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. The wind report for a nearby airport was 340 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 23 knots.
Factual narrative
On April, 9, 1997, at 1505 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N9768C, was substantially damaged during a landing at The Red Lion Airport, Vincentown, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight which originated from The South Jersey Regional Airport, Mount Holly, New Jersey, about 1440. No flight plan had been filed for the flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot stated:
"...Approached airport, circled field, observed wind sock. Setup for approach to Rwy 5. Approach normal touched down, started rollout, applied brakes, aircraft pulled to left side of the runway, skidded on grass, stopped at the edge of trees."
An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the left wing struck a tree, was bent rearward, and was partially separated from the airplane.
The 1455 observation at McGuire AFB, which was 10 NM from Red Lion airport on a heading of 060 degrees, reported the winds were from 340 degrees at 19 knots, with gusts to 23 knots.
An FAA inspector stated in the FAA Form 8020-16, "...INSPECTION [of the airplane] SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE...."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9768C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-78400116
- Airframe hours
- 1,276
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Carl J. Mikuletzky
- Registered owner
- Lakeside Group Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 1996 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- VAY · Mount Holly, NJ
- Destination
- N73
- Airport
- N73 · Red Lion, runway 5, 2,800 × 43 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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 512 total · 18 in this make and model · 424 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 19 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- WRI, 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.