Beech E18S accident near Lakewood, New Jersey, August 13, 1982
On August 13, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N380MA, was destroyed in an accident near Lakewood, New Jersey (Lakewood airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 13, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakewood, New Jersey · Lakewood
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N380MA · registry record · serial BA237
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO FLT THE SPARK PLUGS ON BOTH ENGS WERE REPLACED DUE TO MINOR ENG VIBRATION & THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT SYSTEM WIRING REPAIRED DUE TO THE GEAR NOT RETRACTING ELECTRICALLY ON A PRIOR OCCASION. AFTER TAKEOFF THE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT ELECTRICALLY & THE PASSENGER HAD TO CRANK UP THE GEAR MANUALLY. AFTER THE PARACHUTE JUMP THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENG TO ISOLATE THE VIBRATION. HE THEN STARTED THE LEFT ENG & FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENG. UNABLE TO UNFEATHER THE RIGHTENG HE ELECTED TO LAND WITH FULL FLAPS & GEAR DOWN AFTER A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH. AS HE APPROACHED THE THRESHOLD A C-150 TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. THE PLT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND WHILE TRYING TO RETRACT THE FLAPS & GEAR ELECTRICALLY WITHOUT RESULTS.THE PAX WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETRACT THE GEAR MANUALLY WHEN THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT MAKE HIS LANDING INTENTIONS KNOWN ON UNICOM DURING THE APPROACH. NO PRE-IMPACT DESCREPANCIES WERE FOUND TO PRECLUDE NORMAL PROP OPERATION. NORMAL ELECT POWER IS HALVED WITH ONE GENERATION INOPERATIVE.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,700 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Fitness Marketing Association
The flight
- Departed from: Lakewood NJ at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Lakewood NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,535 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 171°F (77°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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.