- Date
- November 21, 2021, 16:44 local (21:44 UTC)
- Place
- Old Bridge, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8074ECessna 172N
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20211121020539A
- Case key
- 104285
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot’s loss of control during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
On the day of the accident, the student pilot performed three takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor before he was cleared by the instructor for solo pattern flight. A video recording showed that during his second solo landing, the airplane bounced, and then began a go-around. During the go-around the airplane pitched up sharply, stalled, turned toward the left and descended to the ground. The airplane impacted the left side of the runway, sustained substantial damage to the left wing and forward fuselage, and a post impact fire ensued. The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-accident anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8074E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272130
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 7,663
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 8, 2021
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 3N6 · Old Bridge, runway 24, 3,594 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 17
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 34 total · 34 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,100 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- 3N6
- METAR
- METAR K3N6 212142Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN031 OVC038 12/05 A3015
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 95.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.