Piper PA-600 accident near Newark, New Jersey, February 7, 1984
On February 7, 1984 at about 10:20 am local time, a Piper PA-600, registered N8073J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newark, New Jersey (Newark airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 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
- February 7, 1984 · about 10:20 am local time
- Place
- Newark, New Jersey · Newark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-600
- Registration
- N8073J · no longer on the register · serial 60-0556-180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON LANDING ROLL WHEN IT BEGAN TO VEER FROM THE RWY. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BUT THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A TAXIWAY MARKER SIGN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE LANDING GEAR TORQUE LINK SHOWED A FRACTURED SURFACE TYPICAL OF FATIGUE PROGRESSION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF IMPROPER INSPECTION PROCEDURED USED THAT FAILED TO DISCLOSE THE FATIGUE AND CRACKED SURFACE IN THE TORQUE LINK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,855 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 293 in the last 90 days; 1,690 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1983; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KLJ5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AGL Pittsburgh PA at 8:55 am
- Destination: EWR Newark NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8073J 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.