Cessna 172P N55110

Summary

On 19 May 1992 at about 01:38 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N55110, operated by Raritan Valley Flying School, was involved in an accident near Princeton, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 1992 at 01:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Princeton (39N)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N55110

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Raritan Valley Flying School

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO92FA069

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE OVER AN OBSTACLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A TAILWIND, DARK NIGHT, AND PREMATURE RAISING OF THE FLAPS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 50 FOOT HIGH TREE AT NIGHT, 1200 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28. THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED WESTBOUND. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS TRYING TO LAND USING RUNWAY 28, BUT WAS TWICE UNSUCCESSFUL, WHICH SHE ATTRIBUTED TO A TAILWIND, SO SHE LANDED ON THE FIRST TRY USING RUNWAY 10. AFTER HER SECOND TRY TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28, SHE NOTICED ANOTHER AIRPLANE, ALSO DOING A GO AROUND AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL LANDING ATTEMPT ON RUNWAY 28. SHE RADIOED THE PILOT TO ADVISE HIM TO USE RUNWAY 10, AND HE REPLIED WITH AN UNCLEAR TRANSMISSION WHICH ABRUPTLY ENDED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED NIGHT FLIGHT AT THIS AIRPORT FOUR TIMES BEFORE. HE HAD FOUR HOURS OF TOTAL NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED FIVE DEGREES. ACCORDING TO CESSNA, DURING A GO AROUND, THE FLAPS SHOULD BE REDUCED TO 10 DEGREES UNTIL OBSTACLES HAVE BEEN CLEARED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.