Piper PA-28-161 accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, December 7, 1990
On December 7, 1990 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8339D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Bader Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT AN OVERRUN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1990 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Bader Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8339D · registry record · serial 28-8316030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF WITH TWO FRIENDS ON BOARD ON A 2830 FT LONG RUNWAY. THE ENGINE DID NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER (ONLY 1800 INSTEAD OF 2600 RPM). ABOUT MIDFIELD THE PILOT DROPPED A NOTCH OF FLAPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET AIRBORNE AND AT ABOUT 2/3 DOWN THE RUNWAY, HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THROUGH A CYCLONE FENCE AND INTO THE BAY (3 FT DEEP). POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FOUND AN IGNITION PROBLEM.
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: 1,170 hours in all; 1,170 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 727 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY at 4:00 am
- Destination: PNE Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,830 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.