Piper PA-28-236 accident near Vernon, New Jersey, September 16, 1994
On September 16, 1994 at about 2:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N81X, was destroyed in an accident near Vernon, New Jersey. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted a loss of control and inflight collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1994 · about 2:02 pm local time
- Place
- Vernon, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N81X · no longer on the register · serial 28-7911042
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT CURRENT PILOT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE, WHEN HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT. WHEN CLEARED TO CONTINUE THE CLIMB TO 6000 FT, AND JOIN THE AIRWAY, RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE STARTED A RIGHT TURN AND CLIMBED TO 3300 FT. IT THEN DESCENDED TO 3200 FEET FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS, AND CONTINUED THE TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE TURN AND DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AT 2600 FT, 1/2 NM FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. WITNESSES REPORTED AN OVERCAST IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED HE SAW THE AIRPLANE FLYING WINGS LEVEL JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS. THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED LEFT, AND WITH NO CHANGE IN ENGINE POWER, DESCENDED INTO THE WATER IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,543 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N1 West Milford NJ at 1:56 pm
- Destination: 2B4 Newport RI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from CDW, 17 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N81X 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.