Piper PA-28-181 accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut, July 31, 1994
On July 31, 1994 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8453B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut (Bridgeport/Sikorsky airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 31, 1994 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Connecticut · Bridgeport/Sikorsky
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8453B · registry record · serial 28-8290047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED RUNWAY 11, AND AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, IN WET GRASS AND MUD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE ROTATED THE AIRPLANE, '...AT 60 KNOTS-ENGINE MISSED, STALL HORN SOUNDED....' HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO GAIN SPEED, AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF WITH LESS THAN 1000 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED, 'NOSE DOWN AND LEFT WING DOWN...[AND] SKIDDED AROUND [THE] LEFT WING.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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: 675 hours in all; 559 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 579 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,834 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1994; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PVC Provincetown MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,761 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.