Piper PA-28-236 accident near Manahawkin, New Jersey, May 31, 2006

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

Prior to departing on the accident flight, the pilot contacted flight service and obtained a weather briefing. During the briefing, the pilot was advised of an AIRMET for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) that extended across the intended route of flight, and that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. The pilot was further advised that some of the stations along the route of flight were beginning to report VFR conditions, and that terminal area forecasts called for the weather to improve. As the pilot approached the destination airport, he contacted air traffic control, and upon hearing that the weather at his intended destination was IMC, he elected to return to his departure airport. While in the process of being radar identified, the airplane descended 1,300 feet in 4 seconds, before radar contact was lost. Witnesses observed the airplane descend out of the clouds and saw pieces of the airplane falling to the ground before it impacted trees and terrain. The outboard portions of both wings and both outboard portions of the horizontal stabilizer were located between 1,000 and 2,000 feet from the main wreckage. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed signatures consistent with overload failure in the positive, or upward, direction. No pre-impact mechanical deficiencies with the airplane were noted. Review of visible satellite weather imagery revealed the presence of clouds along the coastal area near the accident site, and an airport 21 nautical miles southwest reported an overcast ceiling at 700 feet.

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.