Temco D-16A accident near Hainesport, New Jersey, August 28, 1996
On August 28, 1996 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Temco D-16A, registered N128N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hainesport, New Jersey (South Jersey Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper inflight planning/decision and inadequate management of fuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1996 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hainesport, New Jersey · South Jersey Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Temco D-16A · all D-16As on the register
- Registration
- N128N · no longer on the register · serial TTN-62
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The the multi-engine airplane was observed by witnesses flying over a New Jersey airport in a northerly direction. Later, a witness north of the airport observed it flying in a southerly direction, with the landing gear extended. This witness heard the engines 'cutting in and out.' Subsequently, the airplane collided with terrain in an open field, about 3/4 of a mile north of the airport. Both engine propellers were found feathered; no fuel was found in the airplane's fuel tanks. The student pilot/owner was based in Arkansas. He had purchased the airplane at an airport in Arkansas during July 1996. The student first received dual flight instruction in 1960, and soloed during December 1993. After a 6 hour dual cross-country flight in February 1994, the student was approved for solo cross-country flights to two airports. That was the last dual instruction that he received. Between February 1994 and February 1996, the student logged over 230 hours of solo flight time, of which over 95 hours were solo cross-country to numerous airports, several over 800 miles from his base airport. The student had no record of multi-engine flight instruction, and he had not logged any multi-engine flight time.
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
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-340-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,911 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from WRI, 12 miles away
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.
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 NYC96LA176.