Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lakewood, New Jersey, April 18, 1993
On April 18, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N3008F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakewood, New Jersey (Lakewood 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 PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND SWERVE AND A COLLISION WITH TREES. THE ADVERSE WIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakewood, New Jersey · Lakewood Airport
- 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
- N3008F · registry record · serial 28-7916210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LOW TIME PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO BUILD FLIGHT TIME. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND GUSTING CROSSWINDS, DROPPED AN ESTIMATED 8 FEET TO THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED, THEN LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED SMALL SCRUB TREES. A WEATHER OBSERVATION REPORTED BY A LOCAL MILITARY BASE REPORTED THE WINDS FROM 320 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS, AND VARIABLE FROM 250 DEGREES TO 350 DEGREES.
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: 90 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,731 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1992; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Obrien Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 2N8 Matawan NJ at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,457 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from WRI, 20 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.