Beech T-34B accident near Jackson, New Jersey, March 17, 1995
On March 17, 1995, a Beech T-34B, registered N1440L, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, New Jersey (Naes Lakehurst, Nj airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor's attempt to maintain visual reference with the ground, and his delayed remedial action to the dual student's actions, which resulted in an inadvertent tree strike. Factors were the lack of recent night experience for both pilots, the haze, and dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1995
- Place
- Jackson, New Jersey · Naes Lakehurst, Nj
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech T-34B · all T-34Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1440L · registry record · serial BG-319
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NIGHT TRAINING FLIGHT DEPARTED UNDER CONDITIONS OF A HAZY SKY, WITH A PRIVATE PILOT AND FLT INSTR ONBOARD. DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY, THE FLT INSTR DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE INSTRUCTED THE PVT PILOT TO STAY ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AS THE AIRPLANE TURNED DOWNWIND OVER UNLIGHTED TERRAIN. THE PVT PILOT REPORTED THE FLT INSTR TOLD HIM HE WAS GAINING ALTITUDE AND HE, 'PUSHED THE NOSE OVER.' THE FLT INSTR THEN TOLD HIM, 'DON'T GO DOWN TOO FAST.' THE FLT INSTR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT PASSED THROUGH 200 FT AGL. IT STRUCK TREES ABOUT 100 FT HIGH, AND CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND, 600 FT LATER, UPRIGHT. NEITHER PILOT HAD FLOWN ANY NIGHT TIME IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS. THE FLT INSTR HAD LOGGED 3 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT TIME IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,515 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 4,981 as pilot in command; 2,226 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,573 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1994; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEL Lakehurst NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from NEL, 3 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC95LA074.