Piper PA-44-180 accident near Lumberton, New Jersey, June 7, 2007
On June 7, 2007 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N2173S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lumberton, New Jersey (Flying W Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's improper decision to simulate an engine failure in the traffic pattern by cutting off fuel to the engine, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2007 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton, New Jersey · Flying W Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2173S · registry record · serial 44-7995245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor of the PA-44, while conducting a training flight with his student, he simulated a left engine failure and the student proceeded to enter the traffic pattern for runway 19. Upon touchdown, "the rear of the airplane and the right wing raised off the ground" and the flight instructor instructed his student to "Go-Around." The airplane began to track left and the flight instructor took the controls. He was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane exited the runway collapsing the left main gear and substantially damaging the airplane. The student pilot reported that the flight instructor simulated the engine failure by "cutting off fuel to the left engine," and the flight instructor reported he must have "forgotten to turn the fuel back on" during the go-around. No mechanical deficiencies were reported with the airplane.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,053 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 159 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 789 as pilot in command; 643 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,287 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming 0-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hortman Aviation Services
The flight
- Departed from: N87 Robbinsville NJ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: N14 Lumberton NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,496 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KVAY, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N2173S 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.