# Accident 19980916045029A: Cessna 172M, Teterboro, NJ, September 16, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 16, 1998, 19:40 local time - Place: Teterboro, NJ - Airport: Teterboro - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.8501° N, 74.0608° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at TETERBORO (TEB), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8501&lon=-74.0608&mi=10 - Aircraft: N64453, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N64453) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Reported engine: LYC O320* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 218 total, 65 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA189) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980916045029A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1998, ABOUT 1940 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N64453, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK AN AIRPORT SIGN WHILE TAXING, AFTER LANDING AT THE TETERBORO AIRPORT, TETERBORO (TEB), NEW JERSEY. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PRVAILED AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED THE COLUMBIA COUNTY AIRPORT, HUDSON, NEW YORK, ABOUT 1815. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 1 AND MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'G.' THE PILOT ASKED AND RECEIVED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE TEB GROUND CONTROLLER. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING THE AIRPLANE'S INSTRUMENTS AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT SWITCH. HE WAS ALSO UNABLE TO TURN ON THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHT. THE PILOT USED THE GREEN TAXIWAY CENTER LINE LIGHTS TO TAXI TO TAXIWAY 'B.' HE WAS THEN TOLD TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'B' AND TO "EXPEDITE" HIS CROSSING OF RUNWAY 1/19. THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'B' AND APPLIED POWER. HE SAID IT WAS "ABSOLUTELY DARK" AND HE DID NOT SEE THE TAXIWAY CENTER LINE LIGHTS ANYMORE. THE PILOT ALSO STATED, HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING TOO FAST AND HE THOUGHT HE FELT THE AIRPLANE TRAVELING ON THE GRASS BEFORE THE IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE SIGN FOR THE "PLB" INTERSECTION AND TRAVELED ABOUT 50 FT. PAST THE SIGN, INTO THE RUNWAY 1/19 SAFETY AREA. ACCORDING TO TEB AIRPORT PERSONNEL, ALL OF THE TAXIWAY CENTER LINE LIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONAL. THE PILOT REPORTED ABOUT 210 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH ABOUT 65 HOURS WERE IN MAKE AND MODEL. THE PILOT STATED HE POSSESSED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 10 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND HAD NOT FLOWN AT NIGHT SINCE 1973. (.4) THE PILOT LANDED AT HIS DESTINATION AT NIGHT. WHILE TAXING, HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPLANE'S TAXI/LANDING, AND PANEL LIGHTS. HE WAS GIVEN PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BY THE GROUND CONTROLLER, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'B' AND TO 'EXPEDITE' HIS CROSSING OF RUNWAY 1/19. THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY 'B' AND APPLIED POWER. HE SAID IT WAS 'ABSOLUTELY DARK' AND HE DID NOT SEE THE TAXIWAY CENTER LINE LIGHTS ANYMORE. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, STRUCK THE SIGN FOR THE 'P/L/B' INTERSECTION, AND TRAVELED ABOUT 50 FEET PAST THE SIGN, INTO THE RUNWAY 1/19 SAFETY AREA. TAXIWAY 'B' CONTAINED CENTER LINE LIGHTING ONLY, AND ALL OF THE TAXIWAY CENTER LINE LIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONAL. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEALED ANY PRE-IMPACT ABNORMALITIES. A CHECK OF THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING/TAXI LIGHT REVEALED IT WORKED NORMALLY. THE PILOT REPORTED ABOUT 210 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH ABOUT 65 HOURS WERE IN MAKE AND MODEL. THE PILOT STATED HE POSSESSED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 10 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND HAD NOT FLOWN AT NIGHT SINCE 1973. ## 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 NYC98LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA189), Sep 16, 1998: Cessna 172M (N64453), Teterboro, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors in this accident were the night light conditions, and pilot's lack of recent night flight experience. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.