Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fairton, New Jersey, July 22, 1983
On July 22, 1983 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8398T, was destroyed in an accident near Fairton, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- July 22, 1983 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Fairton, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8398T · registry record · serial 28-8190149
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING WHICH WAS CONCLUDED WITH A SEVERE WX WARNING. THE PLT STATED HE WOULD TRY ANYWAY & IF THE WX GOT TOO BAD HE WOULD RETURN. ABOUT 16 MIN LATER THE PLT REQUESTED UPDATED WX CONDITIONS. HE WAS ADVISED OF A CONVECTIVE SIGMET, SEVERE WX WATCH, & ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE AREA. HE WAS ALSO ADVISED VFR FLTWAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE FLT CONTINUED ON ITS WAY. 12 MIN LATER THE FLT CONTACTED DOVER APPROACH CONTROL & REQUESTED IMMEDIATE RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST LIGHTED ARPT. THE TARGET WAS EVENTUALLY LOST. THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED INTO A MARSHAREA IN AN EXTREME NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 745 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 21, 1983; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ
- Destination: W22 Woodbridge VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:01 am from MIV, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N8398T 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.