Ryan NAVION accident near New Gretna, New Jersey, November 20, 2016
On November 20, 2016, a 1949 Ryan NAVION, registered N4976K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near New Gretna, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and in-flight weather evaluation, which resulted in an encounter with a strong cold front and the pilot's subsequent loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2016
- Place
- New Gretna, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A, built 1949 · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N4976K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-1976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot's friend reported that he provided weather information to the pilot about 1 hour before the flight; no record was found indicating that the pilot or the friend obtained a formal weather briefing before he departed for the night cross-country flight. A review of weather information revealed that, about 1 hour 20 minutes into the flight, as the airplane was nearing the destination airport, it encountered a strong cold front boundary with associated severe wind shear and turbulence. Review of radar data revealed that, during the following 13 minutes, the flight completed numerous course deviations, including three complete left circuits and two right circuits, before impacting wooded terrain. Review of the last 3 minutes of radar data revealed that the airplane's altitude oscillated between 2,100 and 200 ft mean sea level (msl) as it completed the two right circuits and one of the left circuits before it impacted terrain. The last target was recorded about 2,000 ft southeast of the accident site at an altitude of 525 ft msl. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the airplane encountered wind shear and turbulent conditions upon encountering the strong cold front boundary and that the pilot subsequently lost airplane control.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › (general) › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 999,999 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,501.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2016; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W75 Saluda VA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: MJX Toms River NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from MJX, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA17FA052.