Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Morganville, New Jersey, October 11, 1997
On October 11, 1997 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N3981T, was destroyed in an accident near Morganville, New Jersey (Marlboro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate maintenance by the flying club and maintenance facility, which resulted in a takeoff with a partially blocked fuel injector nozzle and the failure of the landing gear to retract after takeoff. This resulted in the pilot's diverted attention and the subsequent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1997 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Morganville, New Jersey · Marlboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3981T · registry record · serial 28R-30331
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off in the vicinity of the airplane's maximum gross weight and cleared 50 foot high trees 75 feet beyond the end of the runway. The airplane completed a right 180 degree turn, descended, and collided with trees with the retractable landing gear still extended. Maintenance records revealed that the number 4 cylinder had been removed due to low compression 295 hours before the accident to replace an exhaust valve, and again 76 hours before the accident due to low compression to reface the valves. Examination of the engine revealed the number 4 cylinder fuel injector nozzle was partially obstructed. An annual inspection was performed on the airplane between the two removals of the number 4 cylinder, by the maintenance facility performing the engine maintenance. The landing gear had been written up by pilots on five occasions in the 3 months prior to the accident, for not retracting after takeoff, and the airplane continued to be flown with the write-ups. The last write-up occurred 7 days prior to the accident and remained open. Maintenance was performed on the landing gear system after the last write-up and not documented in the airplane's logbooks.
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: 486 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1997; 231 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2N8 Marlboro NJ at 2:38 pm
- Destination: LEB Lebanon NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,156 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:33 pm from BLM, 15 miles away
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.