Piper PA-28-161 accident near Hackettstown, New Jersey, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N43744, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hackettstown, New Jersey (Hackettstown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 ACHIEVE THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN SPOT AND EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAKE A GO-AROUND AFTER HE FAILED TO ACHIEVE HIS PROPER TOUCHDOWN SPOT, AND HIS LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hackettstown, New Jersey · Hackettstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N43744 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816-18
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A 2200 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. HE SAID HE TOUCHED DOWN IN THE FIRST THIRD, THEN BECAME AIRBORNE AND FLOATED TO MID-FIELD AT WHICH POINT HE TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, ON A SLIGHT DOWN SLOPE. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY AND OVERRAN THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HAD 135 TOTAL TIME WITH 2 HOURS IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
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: 120 hours in all; 120 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-03G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Instrument Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°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.