Amateur-built Q-2 accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, August 6, 1992
On August 6, 1992 at about 4:09 pm local time, a amateur-built Q-2, registered N87JG, was destroyed in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Essex County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MONITOR HIS FUEL SUPPLY WHICH RESULTED IN THE POWER LOSS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1992 · about 4:09 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Essex County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q-2
- Registration
- N87JG · no longer on the register · serial 2627
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP AFTER TAKEOFF AND UPON ARRIVAL AT HIS DESTINATION, HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION DURING A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE USES A 5 GALLON HEADER TANK TO GRAVITY FEED THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRPLANE USES 5 GALLONS OF FUEL BETWEEN MT. HOLLY, NEW JERSEY, AND CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY. ON SCENE EXAMINATION BY THE FAA FOUND THE MAIN AND AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS RUPTURED, AND THE HEADER FUEL TANK EMPTY AND NOT RUPTURED.
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: 410 hours in all; 294 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7MY Mount Holly NJ at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from CDW, 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.
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.