Amateur-built BOWERS FLY BABY accident near Peapack, New Jersey, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 4:04 pm local time, a amateur-built BOWERS FLY BABY, registered N80PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peapack, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING ARM WHICH RESULTED IN PARTIAL OPENING OF THE THROTTLE VALVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Peapack, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BOWERS FLY BABY BOWERS FLY
- Registration
- N80PH · registry record · serial 3934
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE AT CRUISE, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND CHECKED THE OIL TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE. THE ENGINE DID NOT REGAIN POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A YARD BELOW THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH BUT DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRFRAME ANOMALIES. THE ENGINE WAS DISMANTLED AND EXAMINED. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING ARM, WHICH WAS FASTENED TO THE THROTTLE SHAFT, WAS LOOSE AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT OPEN THE THROTTLE VALVE FULLY.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 587 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 512 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 409 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1991; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N12 Lakewood Arpt NJ at 3:15 pm
- Destination: N07 Lincoln Park NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from NWK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N80PH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.