Piper PA-28-161 accident near Wildwood, New Jersey, August 5, 1985
On August 5, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N21521, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wildwood, New Jersey (Cape May CO. 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
- August 5, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wildwood, New Jersey · Cape May CO.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N21521 · no longer on the register · serial 287916045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N21521 TAXIED ONTO RUNWAY 10 AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 14 AFTER OBSERVING ANOTHER AIRCRAFT TAXI AND TAKE OFF FROM THAT POINT. N21521 DID NOT ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR TAKEOFF PRIOR TO RUNNING OUT OF AVAILABLE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT APPLY HARD BRAKING TO AVOID NOSING OVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT STOPPED PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A FENCE ON THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. THE LENGTH FROM THE INTERSECTION TO THE END OF RUNWAY 10 IS ABOUT 850 FEET.
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: 89 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1985; 7,663 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from WWD
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.