Piper PA-601P accident near Sea Isle City, New Jersey, August 15, 1994
On August 15, 1994 at about 3:03 am local time, a Piper PA-601P, registered N3642A, was destroyed in an accident near Sea Isle City, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident were the presence of a level 6 thunderstorm, loss of gyro's for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's poor weather evaluation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1994 · about 3:03 am local time
- Place
- Sea Isle City, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-601P
- Registration
- N3642A · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0823
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT IN A LEVEL SIX THUNDERSTORM OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE'S 'GYRO' HAD FAILED. THE AIRPLANE THEN BEGAN A LEFT TURN AND DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR. THE AIRPLANE AND ITS OCCUPANTS WERE LOCATED ON THE OCEAN FLOOR ABOUT 48 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE HAD BROKEN APART IN-FLIGHT. THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF EACH WING AND THE TAIL SECTION WERE NOT RECOVERED. THE AIRPLANE'S PNEUMATIC SYSTEM WAS DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO FSS RECORDS, THE PILOT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON THE WEATHER ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,275 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE Myrtle Beach SC at 1:28 am
- Destination: OXC Oxford CT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots, gusting 70
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from ACY, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N3642A 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.