Amateur-built AEROSTAR 600 accident near Toms River, New Jersey, February 3, 1982
On February 3, 1982 at about 9:30 am local time, a amateur-built AEROSTAR 600, registered N9759Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toms River, New Jersey (Robert Miller airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 3, 1982 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Toms River, New Jersey · Robert Miller
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N9759Q · no longer on the register · serial 600380135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING A VOR APPROACH, HE BROKE OUT AT 600 FT AND GOT THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT. HE REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY DROPPED FREQUENTLY, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY WENT TO ZERO AT THAT POINT. HE INITIATED A MISSED APPROACH, AND AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PINE TREE, BUT CONTINUED FLYING. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO MCGUIRE AFB. ON THE FIRST APPROACH TO MCGUIRE AFB, THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOO HIGH. A SECOND APPROACH WAS REQUESTED AND A LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 3,901 hours in all; 319 in this make and model; 492 in the last 90 days; 3,761 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,940 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD at 3:45 am
- Destination: New Gloucester ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 4,872 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:05 am from MQR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N9759Q 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.