Piper PA-28-161 accident near Kinnelon, New Jersey, November 18, 1993
On November 18, 1993 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N43791, was destroyed in an accident near Kinnelon, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1993 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kinnelon, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N43791 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8510011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT WHEN ABOUT FORTY THREE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, HE RADIOED CALDWELL/ESSEX COUNTY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND REPORTED AN 'ENGINE FAILURE.' HE TRIED TO LAND AT A CLOSER AIRPORT (LINCOLN PARK), BUT IT WAS BEYOND THE GLIDE DISTANCE. WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE JUST BEFORE IT IMPACTED TREES AND ROCKS. A POST IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE FUSELAGE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. EXAMINATION OF HE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,431 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 15, 1993; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-DEG (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Caldwell Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 2:34 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 pm from CD, 5 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 N43791 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.