# Accident 19891225057559A: Cessna 172N, Washington Twp, NJ, December 25, 1989

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 25, 1989, 22:45 local time
- Place: Washington Twp, NJ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.9883° N, 74.0636° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Washington Township, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9883&lon=-74.0636&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3353E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3353E-2015-04-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 80 total, 4 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC90FA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA041) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891225057559A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FLEW INTO TREES EN ROUTE AT NIGHT. NO GROUND LIGHTS. SNOW SHOWERS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC90FA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC90FA041), Dec 26, 1989: Cessna 172N (N3353E), Washington Twp, NJ, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS;…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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