Piper PA-28-140 accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, August 27, 1986
On August 27, 1986 at about 4:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4571Q, was destroyed in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Bader airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 27, 1986 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Bader
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4571Q · no longer on the register · serial 28-7725238
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LNDING THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE THEN ABORTED THE LNDING AND ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND. DURING THIS MANEUVER THE ACFT STRUCK A MARSH AREA APRPOX .5 MILES FROM THE ARPT. THE PLT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, ONE PAX WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AND ENG DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS. THE TWR CONTROLLER RPTD WINDS OUT OF 200 DEGREES AT 10 TO 14 KTS AT THE TIME HE CLOSED ABT 15 MIN PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 116 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Baltimore MD
- Destination: AIY Atlantic City NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,950 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:45 am from AIY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.