Piper PA-23-250 accident near Warren Grove, New Jersey, June 18, 1994
On June 18, 1994 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62701, was destroyed in an accident near Warren Grove, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DISREGARDED WEATHER EVALUATIONS, ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1994 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Warren Grove, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62701 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654157
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AND WAS RECORDED ON RADAR FOR ABOUT NINE MINUTES. THE AIRPLANE THEN WENT INTO A RIGHT HAND TURN AND DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED NUMEROUS WEATHER BRIEFINGS FROM A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THE PILOT WAS TOLD '...VFR NOT RECOMMENDED.' POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THE PASSENGER ABOARD THE AIRPLANE WAS THE OWNER AND HAD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE OWNER WOULD USUALLY BE SEATED IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT DURING FLIGHT. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED WHERE THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD WERE SEATED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 1,100 hours in all; 96 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command; 690 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ at 2:00 am
- Destination: CDW Caldwell NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ACY, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.