Piper PA-34-R200 accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, October 9, 1998
On October 9, 1998 at about 10:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-R200, registered N800JK, was destroyed in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Essex County Airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both the normal and emergency brake systems.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1998 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Essex County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-R200 · all PA-34-R200s on the register
- Registration
- N800JK · registry record · serial 34730215
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cleared for the option after flying the only available localizer approach through a 1,200-foot overcast. She opted to land straight ahead with a 6-knot tailwind, and landed about 1,500 feet down the 4,500 foot runway. During the rollout, the pilot found she had almost no toe brake pressure, and when she attempted to pump up brake pressure through an emergency handle, there was still no pressure of any significance. The airplane rolled off the end of the runway, and into a brook. Wreckage examination revealed no ruptures of the hydraulic lines, some hydraulic fluid pooled under the rudder pedals, and leaks from both brake cylinders. No brake pressure could be established using the toe brakes, and the emergency hand brake had to be pumped four times before any toe brake pressure developed. Airplane maintenance had been performed three months earlier, which included bleeding the brake system and replenishing the reservoir.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,780 hours in all; 133 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,630 as pilot in command; 2,150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,234 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1998; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORH Worcester MA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: CDW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:07 pm from CDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.