Piper PA-28-200 accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey, October 25, 2001
On October 25, 2001 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-200, registered N1585X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey (Belmar/Allaire 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 remedial action to correct the pilot's lack of directional control during landing. A factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2001 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New Jersey · Belmar/Allaire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-200 · all PA-28-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1585X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7535342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was checking the pilot out in the airplane. As part of the check-out, the pilot was performing touch and go landings. On the second landing, the pilot had difficulty maintaining the runway centerline alignment due to the wind. As a result, the airplane's nose was positioned about 10-20 degrees to the right of runway centerline when it landed hard on the left main landing gear. The flight instructor said the pilot was having difficulty controlling the airplane, and described the situation as "becoming excessive". The instructor then took control of the airplane and completed the touch and go. During climb-out, the gear appeared to retract normally, but when extended for landing, the left landing gear light did not illuminate. The pilot then noticed that the top surface of the left wing was damaged, and attempts to extend the gear were unsuccessful. After landing with the left main landing gear partially extended, the airplane went off the left side of the runway. When asked what caused the accident, the instructor said: "The landing caused the damage due to the impact and position of the gear." Winds recorded at the airport were from 280 degrees at 14, gusting to 18.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,179 as pilot in command; 781 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 633 hours in all; 17 in the last 90 days; 581 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,610.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 14, 2001; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Farmingdale NJ at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,300 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from BLM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.