Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lakewood, New Jersey, August 11, 1985
On August 11, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6317J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakewood, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 11, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakewood, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6317J · no longer on the register · serial 28-4724
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING TO LAKEWOOD AIRPORT,, POWER WAS LOST SUDDENLY. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A STAND OF PINE AND OAK TREES INSTEAD OF LANDING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE PILOT DECIDED THAT THE DISTANCE WAS TOO GREAT FOR A GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT. A POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY CONDITIONS THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF POWER.
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: 810 hours in all; 810 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,929 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1985; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N12 Lakewood NJ at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from NEL
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.