Piper PA-28-180 accident near Hackettstown, New Jersey, October 1, 1982
On October 1, 1982, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8478W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hackettstown, New Jersey (Hackettstown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1982
- Place
- Hackettstown, New Jersey · Hackettstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8478W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT (FOREIGN NATIONAL) WAS OCCUPYING THE LEFT FRONT SEAT WHILE A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FLIGHT TO HACKETTSTOWN, NJ WHERE THE CFI AND A PASSENGER PLANNED TO DEPLANE, THEN THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ANOTHER PASSENGER PLANNED TO CONTINUE TO TETERBORO, NJ. DURING ARRIVAL AT HACKETTSTOWN, THE CFI REQUESTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PRIVATE PILOT AGREED. WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 05 IN CALM WIND CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE CFI WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, ONLY TO FIND THAT HIS SIDE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FOOT BRAKES. HE REQUESTED THAT THE PRIVATE PILOT APPLY BRAKES, BUT THE PRIVATE PILOT QUESTIONED THE REQUEST. BY THIS TIME, THE CFI HAD RAISED THE FLAPS, THEN REPEATED HIS DEMAND FOR THE PRIVATE PILOT TO APPLY BRAKES. THE CFI REACHED FOR THE HAND BRAKE, BUT TOO LATE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE PLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END & HIT DIRT MOUNDS WHERE THE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,927 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 2,655 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Enginaires Aero Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: AGC Allegheny CO. PA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.