Piper PA-28-181 accident near Pittstown, New Jersey, October 12, 1998
On October 12, 1998 at about 2:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N41662, was destroyed in an accident near Pittstown, New Jersey (Sky Manor Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point and his delay in executing a go-around. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1998 · about 2:08 pm local time
- Place
- Pittstown, New Jersey · Sky Manor Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N41662 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7405132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he aborted the first landing attempt because of a strong crosswind from the right. During the second landing attempt, a witness reported the airplane touched down fast, beyond the mid-point of the runway, and appeared out of control after it bounced. The pilot said he aborted the second landing but was too far down the runway to climb above trees beyond the departure end. The airplane collided with the trees and came to rest in a field. Witnesses reported the landing runway had been runway 07, and the airplane landed on runway 25. The winds were reported to be from 030 degrees at 5 knots.
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
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1998; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 1:15 pm
- Destination: N40
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,439 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from ABE, 24 miles away
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.
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.