Piper PA-18-135 accident near Andover, New Jersey, September 3, 1999
On September 3, 1999 at about 9:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-135, registered N8143E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andover, New Jersey (Aeroflex-Andover Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue failure of the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1999 · about 9:51 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, New Jersey · Aeroflex-Andover Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N8143E · registry record · serial 182150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, about 400 feet above the ground, the engine made 'a metallic noise.' The CFI initiated a turn back to the runway, and the engine powered down and stopped, with the propeller in a horizontal position. The main wheels of the airplane struck the bank of a pond approximately 100 feet short of the runway, the airplane nosed over, and the pilot and passenger exited the aircraft. Examination of the crankshaft revealed that the crankshaft was separated through the aft cheek of the #3 main bearing. Magnified visual examination of the fracture face found characteristics of fatigue propagation, which initiated in the aft radius of the #3 main bearing and progressed rearward through approximately 80% of the crankshaft cheek before failing in overload. Examination of the initiation area revealed a single origin on the surface of the radius in an area of circumferential scratches. The origin was located on the journal about 10 to 15 degrees before top center of the adjacent #2 and #3 cylinders.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,958 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1999; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 12N NJ at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,981 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from MMU, 20 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.