Piper PA-28-161 accident near Pittstown, New Jersey, November 13, 1997
On November 13, 1997 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2973Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittstown, New Jersey (Sky Manor Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed during the approach, and her failure to perform a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 1997 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pittstown, New Jersey · Sky Manor Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2973Y · registry record · serial 28-8016012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that she used runway 08 at the departure airport, so she expected to land on runway 07 at the destination airport. Approaching the airport she was 'surprised' to see traffic landing on runway 25 and called on the advisory frequency for the active runway. A pilot that just landed advised that he had used runway 25 and had encountered a crosswind. Upon landing, the pilot determined her speed was excessive but that inadequate runway remained to successfully abort the landing. She elected to steer the airplane to the infield sod where it collided with a fence. The pilot was issued a private pilot certificate three weeks prior to the accident. She reported 104 hours of flight experience, of which 3.7 hours were in make and model.
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: 104 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 26 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1997; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D-36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7MY Mount Holly NJ
- Destination: N40
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,439 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ABE, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.