Event NYC05CA065

Factual narrative

On March 30, 2005, about 1445 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N9235J, was substantially damaged while executing a practice forced landing to the Sussex Airport (FWN), Sussex, New Jersey. The certificated flight instructor, and certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight. No flight plan had been filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot\owner, he was executing a practice forced landing to runway 3 at the Sussex Airport, with a flight instructor in the right seat. During the landing, the right main landing gear contacted the top wire of a set of wires approximately 30 feet high, and 200 feet short of the approach end of the runway. The right wing dropped, and the pilot applied full left rudder and power. The engine responded, but the airplane impacted the runway. The pilot added that he had the warning balls in sight, but did not realize there was an additional wire 4 to 6 feet higher. The pilot\owner was executing a practice forced landing to a runway, with a flight instructor in the right seat. During the landing, the right main landing gear contacted the top wire of a set of wires approximately 30 feet high, and 200 feet short of the approach end of the runway. The right wing dropped, and the pilot applied full left rudder and power. The engine responded, but the airplane impacted the runway. The pilot had the warning balls on the wires insight, but did not realize there was an additional wire 4 to 6 feet higher. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12