Beech B24R accident near Lumberton Township, New Jersey, April 22, 2024
On April 22, 2024 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1976 Beech B24R, registered N53EM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lumberton Township, New Jersey (Flying W airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot/owner’s failure to ensure adequate maintenance of the airplane, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2024 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton Township, New Jersey · Flying W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B24R, built 1976 · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N53EM · registry record · serial MC-395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner was flying his airplane to another airport to get an annual inspection, after not previously having been inspected for almost 10 years. On takeoff, the airplane did not climb as expected and began to lose altitude with the landing gear still extended. A witness described that the airplane’s engine was “sputtering” and there was a significant drop in rpm. The airplane did not climb, encountered an aerodynamic stall, and impacted a field beyond the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed low compression on the No. 2 cylinder. The cylinder also displayed carbon build-up around the intake valve, and the valve was not sealing and appeared to be cracked. Based on the available information, this likely resulted a partial loss of engine power during the takeoff and the engine sounds heard by the witness. Had the airplane undergone the required annual inspection before the flight, it is likely that the deficient condition of the cylinder would have been detected and corrected, thus preventing the accident.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 267 hours in all; 19 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,904 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 1,904 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01/1, 3,496 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 380° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KVAY, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVAY 222154Z AUTO 28004KT 10SM CLR 16/M03 A3005
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 ERA24LA190.