Piper PA-30-160 accident near Rancocas, New Jersey, March 7, 1991
On March 7, 1991 at about 12:01 pm local time, a Piper PA-30-160, registered N74994, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancocas, New Jersey (Inductotherm airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON INITIAL TAKE OFF CLIMB RESULTING IN A STALL AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON AND A GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1991 · about 12:01 pm local time
- Place
- Rancocas, New Jersey · Inductotherm
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30-160 · all PA-30-160s on the register
- Registration
- N74994 · no longer on the register · serial 30-562
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT BEGAN A TAKE OFF ROLL WITH A 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND, WHEN THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, VEERED TO THE LEFT, LOST AIRSPEED, STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,705 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,465 as pilot in command; 240 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Inductotherm CORP.
The flight
- Destination: N23 Sidney NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,856 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.