Piper PA 18-150 accident near Woodbine, New Jersey, April 27, 2014
On April 27, 2014 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1972 Piper PA 18-150, registered N4615Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Woodbine, New Jersey (Woodbine airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed reaction to the loss of directional control, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2014 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Woodbine, New Jersey · Woodbine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 A150, built 1972 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4615Y · registry record · serial 18-8936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, the accident flight was the student pilot's first flight in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The primary activity for the flight was to be instruction in takeoffs and landings. On the final landing of the flight, the airplane began to "swerve" to the right during the landing roll. In an attempt to regain control of the airplane, the flight instructor added full engine power to go-around. The airplane ground looped, pitched forward, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer during the accident sequence, and the instructor did not report any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Simulated/training event during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- 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 › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,762 hours in all; 688 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,709 as pilot in command; 608 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 19, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 1,115 hours total
- Operator: High Exposure INC
The flight
- Departed from: OBI Woodbine NJ at 6:15 pm
- Destination: OBI Woodbine NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,074 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm from OBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 9, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.