Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lincoln Park, New Jersey, June 28, 1984
On June 28, 1984, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4342T, was destroyed in an accident near Lincoln Park, New Jersey (Lincoln Park airport). 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
- June 28, 1984
- Place
- Lincoln Park, New Jersey · Lincoln Park
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4342T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7105226
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A FOLLOWING ACFT PLT SAID THE ACFT WAS SLOW AND LONG ON TAKEOFFROLL AND STAYED LOW AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT MADE A 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN AND THEN A 270 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND WAS ABOUT LINED UP TO LAND DOWNWIND WHEN IT DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT AND WENT DOWN. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE ENGINE. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THIS ACFT HAD JUST HAD A LONG GROUND TAXI AND HOLD FOR TAKEOFF. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE 'SPUTTERING' AND CUTTING IN AND OUT BEFORE THE CRASH.
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: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Las Americas Aviation Center
The flight
- Departed from: Lincoln Park NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CDW
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.
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.