Piper PA-28-151 accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, January 7, 1992
On January 7, 1992 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N3906F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey (So. Jersey Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1992 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Mount Holly, New Jersey · So. Jersey Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N3906F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7615430
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS AT NIGHT. DUE TO HIS LACK OF NIGHT EXPERIENCE, HE HAD A COMMERCIAL PILOT ACT AS HIS SAFETY PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH, HE NOTED HIS ALTITUDE WAS 250 FEET, THE AIRSPEED WAS 85 KNOTS, AND THE FLAPS WERE AT THE SECOND NOTCH. HE STATED THAT HE REALIZED HIS ALTITUDE WAS LOW, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER AND THIS HE ATTRIBUTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A MAGNETO FAILURE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND 900 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE SAFETY PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL; HOWEVER, ON FINAL WHEN HE LIFTED HIS HEAD AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, HE NOTICED TREES IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE TREES, AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE FAA DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 324 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 1992; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kenmarson Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: N14 Lumberton NJ
- Destination: 7MY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,911 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from PHL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.