Cessna 172SP N629PD

Summary

On 27 August 2001 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 172SP registered N629PD, operated by Esquire Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Matawan, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 August 2001 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Matawan, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Marlboro Airport (2N8)

Coordinates

40.3689, -74.2481

Aircraft

Cessna 172SP

Registration

N629PD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Esquire Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marlboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC01FA217

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment during the initial climb. Factors were the pilot's failure to perform a go-around, the pilot's lack of flight experience in nighttime conditions, the nighttime conditions, and a tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During nighttime conditions, the airplane approached runway 09, a 2,156-foot long, 50-foot wide, asphalt runway. The airplane touched down near the opposite end of the runway, almost on the numbers "27." The engine then revved, and the airplane initially climbed, but it turned left and struck transmission wires. The tower that supported the transmission wires was approximately 133 feet tall, and unlighted. It was located adjacent to the runway, about 1,260 feet northeast of the departure end of runway 09. Additionally, there 56-foot tall transmission wires located approximately 860 feet beyond the departure end of the runway, and perpendicular to it. However, review of an Information Manual for the make and model airplane revealed sufficient horizontal distance remained for the airplane to climb above those wires. The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate 4 days prior to the accident. According to his logbook, the pilot had a total flight experience of 87 hours, of which, about 12 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot also had a total nighttime flying experience of approximately 5 hours. The reported wind about 5 minutes after the accident, at an airport about 10 miles southeast of the accident site was from 210 degrees at 8 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.