Piper PA-24-260 accident near Readington, New Jersey, August 21, 1988
On August 21, 1988 at about 9:38 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9072P, was destroyed in an accident near Readington, New Jersey (Readington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1988 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- Readington, New Jersey · Readington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9072P · registry record · serial 24-4541
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND FROM A REJECTED LANDING IN X-WIND CONDITIONS THE PLT WHO HAD NO LANDINGS IN THE LAST 90 DAYS FAILED TO INITIATE THE GO-AROUND WITH SUFFICIENT TIME/DISTANCE TO CLEAR TREES OFF THE END OF THE RNWY. THE ACFT STRUCK THE TREES AND WAS DESTROYED.
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: 279 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 123 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 5:20 pm
- Destination: N51
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,735 ft by 183 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from TTN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC88LA225.