Amateur-built SH2 accident near West Milford, New Jersey, April 10, 1992
On April 10, 1992 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SH2, registered N80004, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake 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
IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE WHEEL BRAKES, WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE OF A LEFT BRAKE LINE DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH AN OBJECT AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1992 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SH2
- Registration
- N80004 · registry record · serial 220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT, AND THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT BRAKE, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A SIGN, ENTERING ROUGH TERRAIN AND WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A HYDRAULIC LINE FOR THE LEFT BRAKE HAD FAILED, WHICH RENDERED THE BRAKES INOPERATIVE. REPORTEDLY, THE BRAKES WERE NOT INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURE'S MANUAL.
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: 2,600 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 06N Middletown NY at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,734 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from MIV, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N80004 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.