N4915L

On July 27, 2001, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N4915L, was substantially damaged while landing at the Greenwood Lake Airport (4N1), West Milford, New Jersey. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the student pilot, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 6, a 4,000-foot long, 60-foot wide, asphalt runway. During the landing flare, just before touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left and the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway and began to impact quarry stone and brush.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions; nor did the pilot report any.

The pilot reported 96 hours of total flight experience, which included 52 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane.

Winds reported at an airport about 15 miles west-northwest of 4N1, at 0953, were from 300 degrees at 10 knots, with 15 knot gusts. At 1053, the reported winds were variable at 6 knots.