Piper PA-28-180 accident near Berlin, New Jersey, September 21, 2012
On September 21, 2012 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7290W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Berlin, New Jersey (Camden County Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2012 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Berlin, New Jersey · Camden County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7290W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land at the destination airport after a cross-country flight at night. During landing, the airplane touched down, and when the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane began to skid. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway, and as the pilot attempted to regain directional control of the airplane, it veered back onto the runway off the right side. With about 75 feet of the 3,000-foot-long runway remaining, the pilot elected to turn the airplane left in an attempt to reverse its direction. Before the turn could be completed, the airplane struck the airport perimeter fence, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and a postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with either the flight controls or the brakes.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Abrupt maneuver during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 526 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2012; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,975 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Salisbury Airplane Associates INC
The flight
- Departed from: SBY Salisbury MD at 10:35 pm
- Destination: 19N Berlin NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 05, 3,094 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from VAY, 11 miles away
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.