- Date
- October 31, 2006, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Toms River, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6362TCessna 182RG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20061031028209A
- Case key
- 64808
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 private pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a landing short of the runway. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
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
In preparation for his commercial pilot check ride, the flight instructor had the private pilot perform a short field takeoff. During the climbout, the airplane encountered minor turbulence with "some" fluctuation in airspeed. The flight instructor then had the private pilot perform a short field landing, and during the final approach leg, the private pilot chose an aiming point "just prior to the start of the runway" to begin his flare. Everything appeared normal on approach until the airplane suddenly sank, then impacted the ground about 10 feet prior to the runway. The airplane subsequently struck the "lip" of the runway, bounced, and impacted the runway "hard" on its landing gear. A postflight examination of the airplane revealed a flat nose landing gear strut. Winds were from straight ahead, at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The private pilot reported that due to the proximity of the ground, and the speed at which the sink occurred, no recovery techniques could be applied. There were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On October 31, 2006, at 1315 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182RG, N6362T, was substantially damaged while landing at the Robert J. Miller Air Park (MJX), Toms River, New Jersey. The certificated flight instructor and certificated private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the private pilot, the purpose of the flight was to prepare him for his commercial pilot checkride. The private pilot first conducted a short field takeoff without incident, and during the climbout, "minor" turbulence was encountered, along with "some fluctuation in airspeed." The flight instructor then requested that the private pilot perform a short field landing. The private pilot turned onto the final approach leg and picked an aiming point "just prior" to the beginning of the runway to begin his flare. Everything appeared normal on the approach until the pilots felt the airplane suddenly sink, then impact the ground before reaching the runway.
The private pilot also reported that the sink occurred so close to the ground, that "a recovery technique could not be applied." He further noted that a postflight examination of the airplane revealed that the hydraulic strut of the nose landing gear was flat.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane contacted the ground about 10 feet prior to the threshold of runway 24, then struck the "lip" of the runway, bounced, and impacted the runway "hard" on its landing gear. The inspector noted substantial damage to the airplane's firewall.
Neither the pilots nor the FAA inspector reported any mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Winds, reported at an airport 14 miles to the west, were from 240 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6362T
- Reported as
- Cessna 182RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R18201997
- Airframe hours
- 8,219
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3C5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Southeast Aircraft Leasing Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2006
- Departed
- MJX · Toms River, NJ
- Destination
- MJX
- Airport
- MJX · Robert J. Miller Air Park, runway 24, 5,949 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2006
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,160 total · 164 in this make and model · 3,100 as pilot in command · 229 in the last 90 days · 73 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 920 total · 820 in this make and model · 485 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- WRI, 1 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.