- Date
- August 3, 2016, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cross Keys, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N84371Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160803013299A
- Case key
- 93755
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 pilot's failure to maintain lateral bank control during final approach, which resulted with an impact with a tree and substantial damage to the left and right wings.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that during the final approach to land, about 200 feet prior to the runway threshold, he turned his attention to the airspeed indicator and "must have turned the yoke to the left". Subsequently, the airplane drifted to the left and impacted a tree with the left wing about 10-12 feet off the ground. The airplane spun to the left and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the final approach to land, about 200 feet prior to the runway threshold, he turned his attention to the airspeed indicator and "must have turned the yoke to the left". Subsequently, the airplane drifted to the left and impacted a tree with the left wing about 10-12 feet off the ground. The airplane spun to the left and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84371
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258445
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 5,526.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E20, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 18, 2016
- Departed
- NJ25 · Clarksboro, NJ
- Destination
- 17N · Cross Keys, NJ
- Airport
- 17N · Cross Keys, runway 09, 3,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot, 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
- 73
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,831 total · 1,238 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 1.7 in the last 30 days · 0.3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KPHL, 13 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.
Other investigations on N84371 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.