Piper PA-28-180 accident near West Milford, New Jersey, July 27, 2001
On July 27, 2001 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4915L, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake airport). It was a personal 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Factor’s in this accident were a wind gust and the rocks located off the left side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2001 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4915L · registry record · serial 28-4280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 6, a 4,000 foot-long, 60 foot-wide, asphalt runway. During the landing flare a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left and the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway and began to impact quarry stone and brush. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot reported 96 hours of total flight experience, which included 52 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane. Winds reported at an airport about 15 miles west-northwest of the accident site, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, were from 300 degrees at 10 knots, with 15 knot gusts. The reported winds at the same airport, about 30 minutes after the accident, were variable at 6 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: student
- Flight time: 97 hours in all; 52 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,206 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 2001; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N1 West Milford NJ at 1:15 pm
- Destination: 4N1 West Milford NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FWN, 15 miles away
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.