Piper PA-28-140 accident near Medford, New Jersey, September 19, 1984
On September 19, 1984 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N33396, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, New Jersey (Flying W airport). It was an instructional 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
- September 19, 1984 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, New Jersey · Flying W
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N33396 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ENGINE RUN-UP, RIGHT MAGNETO HAD EXCESSIVE RPM DROP. PLT LEANED MIXTURE FOR BURN-OUT AND INAVVERTENTLY SHUT DOWN ENGINE. AFTER RESTART, PLT RAN ENGINE WITH LEAN MIXTURE; SUBSEQUENT MAGNETO CHECK WAS WITHIN LIMITS. AT 300 FT AGL ON INITIAL CLIMB, ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. PLT DETERMINED SAFE FLIGHT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED, SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. GEAR COLLAPSED ON ROUGH TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE REASON FOR POWER LOSS.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 366 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 217 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,697 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 11, 1984; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,495 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.