Piper PA-18A 150 accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey, May 26, 2012
On May 26, 2012 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A 150, registered N4895A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Farmingdale, New Jersey (Monmouth Executive Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2012 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New Jersey · Monmouth Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A 150 · all PA-18A 150s on the register
- Registration
- N4895A · registry record · serial 18-4997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane in gusty, crosswind conditions. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and "weathervaned" to the right. The pilot applied left rudder, but the airplane continued right, traveled off the side of the runway, and ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The operator reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane also revealed no anomalies.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: High Exposure INC
The flight
- Departed from: OBI Woodbine NJ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,371 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from BLM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.