Piper PA-28-140 accident near Hamburg, New Jersey, September 14, 1985
On September 14, 1985 at about 6:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7188R, was destroyed in an accident near Hamburg, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- September 14, 1985 · about 6:17 pm local time
- Place
- Hamburg, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7188R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21901
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT APRX 17 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. ONE WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE ENG RUNNING AT A HIGH RPM. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL 9-18-85. THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATED 140 MPH. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHAINCAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. THE CORONERS AUTOPSY REPORT STATED A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS MOST PROBABLY A HEART ATTACK OR CONGESTIVE HEARTFAILURE. THE PLT WAS UNDER MEDICAL CARE FOR EPILEPTIC SEIZURES. THE PLTS PHYSICIAN REPORTED THE PLT WAS ALRIGHT AS LONG AS HE MAINTAINED A THERAPUDIC LEVEL THROUGH MEDICATION. THE PLTS THERAPUDIC LEVEL WAS NORMAL DURING HIS LAST EXAMINATIONON 9-11-85.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N63 Sussex NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.