Cessna 425 accident near Manahawkin, New Jersey, July 27, 1985
On July 27, 1985 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 425, registered N6887B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manahawkin, New Jersey (Manahawkin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 27, 1985 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Manahawkin, New Jersey · Manahawkin
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 425 · all 425s on the register
- Registration
- N6887B · no longer on the register · serial 425-0163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER OVERFLYING THE AIRFLD AND DECIDING TO LAND ON RWY 22, THE PLT CONCENTRATED ON THE AIRSPEED AND ALT OF THE ACFT. A TWR EAST OF THE FLT WAS NOTICED AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED A PROBLEM. DURING THE FINAL APCH, THE PLT WAS DISTRACTED BY A PASSENGER WHO SAID TO WATCH OUT FOR THE TWR. THE PLT LOOKED FOR THE TWR AND CONTINUED THE APCH. AT ABOUT 800 FT FRON THE THRESHOLD, THE PLT REDUCED PWR TO LOSE ALT AND INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE PWR LEVERS INTO REVERSE. THE ACFT LOST AIRSPEED QUICKLY AND LANDED APRX 40 FT SHORT OF THE RWY IN SOFT SAND. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE ASPHALT RWY AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE RWY APRX 100 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD AND VEERED LEFT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ROLLED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY AND COLLAPSED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,570 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2,170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 635 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 8,200 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-112 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 5:40 pm
- Destination: 72N Manahawkin NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 2,696 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ACY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.