Piper PA-28-161 accident near Old Bridge, New Jersey, May 6, 1995
On May 6, 1995 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8097F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Old Bridge, New Jersey (Old Bridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING FLARE AND IMPROPERLY RECOVERED FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1995 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Old Bridge, New Jersey · Old Bridge
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8097F · registry record · serial 8016091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 24, '...[THE AIRPLANE] TOUCHED DOWN JUST PAST [THE] NUMBERS...BOUNCED AND FLOATED.' THE AIRPLANE 'IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY [AND IT WAS] OBVIOUS [THE] PLANE WAS LEAVING THE RUNWAY.' THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK SMALL TREES, SOME BRUSH, AND CAME TO A STOP IN A DITCH. THE REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEG AT 8 KTS, GUSTS TO 10 KTS.
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: 147 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3N6 at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N8097F 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.