Piper PA-28-140 accident near Somerville, New Jersey, July 24, 2004
On July 24, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6139J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, New Jersey (Somerset Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in an attempted takeoff with contaminated fuel, and a subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, New Jersey · Somerset Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6139J · registry record · serial 28-7625222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane began an initial climb from the runway, the engine began to sputter. The airplane then struck a tree and impacted a field during a forced landing. During an examination of the wreckage, approximately 5 ounces of fluid were recovered from the carburetor bowl. About one-third of the fluid was consistent with water, and the remaining fluid was consistent with 100 LL aviation gasoline. Several droplets of fluid were also recovered from the fuel strainer. Some of the droplets were consistent with water. The airplane was last fueled two days prior to the accident, and remained parked outside until the accident flight. During that time, the airport experienced periods of heavy rainfall.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,610 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,040 as pilot in command; 930 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,674 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 8, 2004; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMQ Somerville NJ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: SMQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,733 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SMQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6139J 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.