Piper PA-24-180 accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, August 29, 2004
On August 29, 2004 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N7573P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey (Ocean City Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's deliberate delay of rotation during the takeoff roll, and his subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2004 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, New Jersey · Ocean City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7573P · registry record · serial 24-2783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered left immediately after takeoff from runway 24. After departing the runway to the left, the pilot encountered a wind tetrahedron in his path. He attempted to pull up and over fly the tetrahedron, but struck it with the belly of the airplane. He reduced power and completed a landing to the grass infield of the airport. The pilot said that he felt the loss of directional control was due to a phenomenon called "wheelbarrowing," and that the PA-24 is susceptible to its effects. He further stated he felt the event was due to pilot error and was not a maintenance problem. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook: "Holding the airplane on the ground unnecessarily puts excessive pressure on the nosewheel, (and) may result in wheelbarrowing..."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,221 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 20, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2004; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-369 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26N Ocean City NJ at 8:20 pm
- Destination: 2W5 Indian Head MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 2,973 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from 26N
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N7573P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.