Weatherly 201B accident near Southampton, New Jersey, May 31, 2006
On May 31, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Weatherly 201B, registered N1281W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Southampton, New Jersey. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the engine's supercharger, which resulted in a loss of engine power, and subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Southampton, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 201B · all 201Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1281W · registry record · serial 635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting his third aerial application flight of the day, when the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a field; however, during the landing, the airplane impacted shrubs and came to rest in a marsh area. Examination of the airplane's Pratt & Whitney R985-AN3 radial engine revealed that when the crankshaft was rotated by hand, thumb compression was attained on all cylinders; however, the supercharger did not rotate.
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: commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 826 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985-AN3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE South Hampton NJ
- Destination: Southampton NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SMQ, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC06LA142.