- Date
- May 20, 2003, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ocean City, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3985LCessna 172G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-17
- FAA report
- 20030520017519A
- Case key
- 57030
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 directional control during an aborted landing. A factor was a crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While landing on runway 06, the airplane encountered turbulence. The pilot attempted to abort the landing; however, the airplane veered right, and traveled off the right side of the runway. The airplane then struck a runway sign and berm, before coming to rest in a swamp at the departure end of the runway. The reported wind near the accident site, about the same time as the accident, was from 140 degrees at 11 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 20, 2003, about 1445 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N3985L, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at Ocean City Municipal Airport (26N), Ocean City, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured, and a passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Camden County Airport (19N), Berlin, New Jersey, about 1400. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 06, a 2,973 foot-long, 60 foot-wide, asphalt runway. During touchdown, the airplane encountered severe turbulence, and the pilot attempted to abort the landing. However, the airplane did not have sufficient airspeed, and traveled off the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently came to rest in a swamp near the end of runway.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The airplane then struck a runway sign and berm, before it came to rest in the swamp.
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the nose gear. The inspector did not observe any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions.
The reported wind at an airport located about 11 miles north of Ocean City, at 1454, was from 140 degrees at 11 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3985L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254154
- Airframe hours
- 3,083
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Karl Turkot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 31, 2002 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- 19N · Berlin, NJ
- Destination
- 26N · Ocean City, NJ
- Airport
- 26N · Ocean City Municipal Airport, runway 6, 2,973 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 78
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 14, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 2,200 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- ACY, 13 nm away
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 N3985L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.