Beech A23 accident near Fairfield, New Jersey, October 22, 1991
On October 22, 1991 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N1425L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex County airport). It was a personal 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON'S WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1991 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Essex County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N1425L · no longer on the register · serial M-819
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 22 WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE WING TANK CONTAINED SEVRAL GALLONS OF FUEL. THE OTHER WING TANK WAS RUPTURED, AND IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED HOW MUCH FUEL THAT TANK CONTAINED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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: 214 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 1900
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N63 Sussex NJ at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- 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.