- Date
- December 14, 2006, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Middletown, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8260XCessna 172C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Teterboro
- FAA report
- 20061214029249A
- Case key
- 65032
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 misjudging distance/altitude during the turn from base to final, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was the haze.
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 turning from base to final for a landing at the destination airport, the Cessna 172C struck trees and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the combination of "hazy visibility," a crazed windshield, and sun glare resulted in his misjudgment of the descent rate and runway alignment. He also stated that he should have initiated a "go-around."
Factual narrative
While turning from base to final for a landing at the destination airport, the Cessna 172C struck trees and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the combination of "hazy visibility," a crazed windshield, and sun glare resulted in his misjudgment of the descent rate and runway alignment. He also stated that he should have initiated a "go-around."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8260X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17248760
- Airframe hours
- 1,543.18
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Group 6 Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2005
- Departed
- 4N1 · West Milford, NJ
- Destination
- 06N · Middletown, NY
- Airport
- 06N · Randall Airport, runway 26, 2,810 × 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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 26,360 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 26,107 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- MGJ, 8 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 N8260X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.