Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Lumberton, New Jersey, December 7, 1993
On December 7, 1993 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4920J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lumberton, New Jersey (Flying W airport). It was an instructional 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH DUE TO IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS A CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1993 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lumberton, New Jersey · Flying W
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4920J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI WAS GIVING A COMMERCIAL STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS, AND ON THIS APPROACH THEY WERE SIMULATING AN ENGINE OUT. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 1, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW THE GLIDEPATH. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, APPLIED FULL POWER AND TRIED TO CLIMB; THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE, 300 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 13 KNOTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 940 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 839 as pilot in command; 646 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,470 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 2, 1993; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N14 at 1:42 pm
- Destination: N14
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,496 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.