Piper PA-28-181 accident near Lumberton, New Jersey, June 10, 2023
On June 10, 2023 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28-181, registered N8126X, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lumberton, New Jersey (Flying W 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 student pilot’s improper flight control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with the runway edge lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2023 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton, New Jersey · Flying W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181, built 1979 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8126X · registry record · serial 28-8090154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a simulated soft field take off from a paved runway the student pilot followed the procedure of holding control wheel back pressure while accelerating for takeoff. The airplane began to lift off the runway into ground effect with an excessive nose high attitude and began drifting to left of center line. Upon realizing the airplane was in an imminent stall due to the high angle attack and veering away from the runway centerline, the flight instructor took over control of the airplane, but the airplane had already drifted over the grassy area off the left side of the runway. During the subsequent runway excursion, the right side of the horizontal stabilator struck two of the runway edge lights and incurred substantial damage. Neither the flight instructor, nor the student pilot, heard the impact and continued their flight lesson. The damage was discovered after they completed the lesson. Following the accident, the flight instructor stated that he should have been more proactive in either taking control, or ensuring the student was relaxing the back pressure on the control wheel as they started gaining speed to help get the airplane in to ground effect for the simulated soft field departure.
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 1,514 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,435 as pilot in command; 274 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,105 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 2023; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 9,160 hours total
- Operator: Freeflight Aviation Llc.
The flight
- Departed from: N14 Lumberton NJ at 8:00 pm
- Destination: N14 Lumberton NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,496 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.59 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KVAY, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KVAY 061954Z AUTO 31010G16KT 10SM FEW090 SCT110 28/07 A2959 RMK AO2 SLP019 T02780067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 13, 2023. 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | 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.