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Accidents · NTSB NYC88LA225 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

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).

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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
August 21, 1988 · about 9:38 pm local time · cases in 1988
Place
Readington, New Jersey · Readington · cases near this airport
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

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
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Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC88LA225.json.

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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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.