Cessna 172 N54860

Summary

On 16 May 1992 at about 20:20 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N54860, operated by MAC DAN Aviation, was involved in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 1992 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Caldwell, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Caldwell (CDW)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N54860

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

MAC DAN Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caldwell → White Plains

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO92LA066

2 people were seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE WAS HAVING CONTROL PROBLEMS SHORTLY AFTER HE DEPARTED ON THE IFR FLIGHT; HE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO CDW. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED FOR THE LOCALIZER APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22; HOWEVER DURING THE APPROACH THE FLIGHT DEVIATED LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. WHEN HE SIGHTED THE RUNWAY, IT WAS OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE, AND ABOUT 600 TO 700 FEET BELOW. HE BANKED STEEPLY RIGHT, LOWERED FLAPS 10 DEGREES AND SIDESLIPPED THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN, OVERRAN THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH A RAVINE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT THE LAST 200 FEET OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE LOGBOOK, THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED AN INSTRUMENT RATING MORE THAN SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD NOT LOGGED ANY ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME SINCE THEN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.