Piper PA-28-140 accident near Blairstown, New Jersey, July 5, 2013
On July 5, 2013 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1441T, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Blairstown, New Jersey (Blairstown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight's encounter with a downdraft from a ridge shortly after takeoff resulting in a loss of lift and collision with terrain during an uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2013 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Blairstown, New Jersey · Blairstown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1441T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was departing an airport near a ridge. Everything was normal on takeoff; however, during climbout shortly after departure, the airplane descended as if it was in a strong downdraft and he could not maintain altitude. The passenger, who was a glider pilot, stated that he estimated the airplane was approximately 200 feet above the ground when the pilot reported that they were losing altitude. Witnesses at the airport stated that during takeoff roll, the airplane rotated nose-up about one-third to one-half down the 3,088-foot long runway. The airplane remained in that attitude down the entire runway, about 20 feet above the ground. The airplane pitched up further, just cleared trees off the departure end of the runway, then appeared to stall and descend behind the treeline. The airplane subsequently impacted the front yard of a residence off the departure end of the runway and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that during the impact, all three landing gear separated. Additionally, the firewall and lower fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and the inspector did not observe any. The recorded wind at an airport approximately 10 miles from the accident site, about 25 minutes after the accident, was variable at 5 knots. The recorded temperature at that time was 84 degrees F.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during takeoff
- Loss of lift during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 28,000 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 17, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,422 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2013; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N7 Blairstown NJ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LOM Blue Bell PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,088 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from 12N, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.