Grumman G164A accident near Williamstown, New Jersey, July 15, 2005
On July 15, 2005 at about 9:30 am local time, a Grumman G164A, registered N48408, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williamstown, New Jersey (Southern Cross Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2005 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Williamstown, New Jersey · Southern Cross Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164A · all G164As on the register
- Registration
- N48408 · no longer on the register · serial 1634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot determined that the weather was worse than reported, and he returned to the departure airport. While on final approach, the airplane began to "settle," and the pilot was "slow" in his response. He added power, but the airplane struck wires and terrain prior to the approach end the runway. When asked about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot responded, "The airplane was fine. The engine was running perfectly. I'm not blaming anyone but me." In a subsequent conversation, the pilot added that he managed the airport, knew the wires were there, and that they were marked.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,444 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CO1 Williamstown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.