Piper PA-28 accident near Hackettstown, New Jersey, November 13, 1983
On November 13, 1983 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N4720L, 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; 3 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
- November 13, 1983 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hackettstown, New Jersey · Hackettstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N4720L · no longer on the register · serial 4040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE MADE AN EXTENDED PATTERN TO KEEP SPACING ON A SLOWER ACFT THAT WAS LANDING. HE STATED THAT HE WENT THRU THE LANDING CHECKLIST & EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. ON FINAL APCH, THE ACFT GOT A LITTLE LOW, BUT WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED, THE ENG FAILED TO RESPOND. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO THE RWY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR OVER A HEDGEROW. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT STATED THAT EARLIER IN THE FLT, CARBURETOR ICING WAS EXPERIENCED WHICH CLEARED UP WHEN CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED.
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: 270 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,168 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1983; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N05 Hackettstown NJ at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.