Piper PA-18A accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, July 23, 1989
On July 23, 1989 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A, registered N8061C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FLYING SPEED, AND HIS DELAY TO JETTISON THE BANNER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LOCATION OF THE TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1989 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A · all PA-18As on the register
- Registration
- N8061C · registry record · serial 183409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP A BANNER LOCATED ADJACENT TO GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. THE BANNER WAS SUCCESSFULLY PICKED UP, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT IT FELT HEAVY EVEN WITH FULL POWER BEING APPLIED. HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER PRESSURE TO CORRECT A WING LOW ATTITUDE & FORWARD PRESSURE TO LOWER THE AIRCRAFT NOSE. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE. AS THE PILOT REACHED FOR THE BANNER RELEASE, THE LEFT WING CLIPPED A 20 FT PINE TREE & THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED COUNTERCLOCKWISE, IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,768 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 208 in the last 90 days; 126 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paramount Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: WWD Rio Grande NJ at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.