Piper PA-28-140 accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, July 23, 1998
On July 23, 1998 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7406J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts (Nantucket Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to perform a go-around. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1998 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts · Nantucket Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7406J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot misunderstood air traffic control instructions, and set up for the wrong runway. She was advised of the mistake, told to depart, and reenter the landing pattern for Runway 30. She said she felt rattled by the confusion, and found herself over the runway at 300 feet and too fast. She thought about going around, but felt she might conflict with traffic on another runway. She pulled back on the throttle to land, and the airplane hit hard. It bounced into the air, touched down again, and skidded off the runway to the left. Winds recorded about 35 minutes prior to the accident were from 190 degrees magnetic at 6 knots, and winds recorded about 25 minutes after the accident were from 200 degrees magnetic at 9 knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,178 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 3, 1998; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACK at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,125 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ACK
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.
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.