# NTSB NYC08CA250: Cessna 172 N, N739UG, Williamstown, NJ, July 16, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 16, 2008, 11:04 local (15:04 UTC) - Place: Williamstown, NJ - Coordinates: 39.705554, -75.033058 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7056&lon=-75.0331&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 68454 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA250 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68454/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA250 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the attempted aborted landing. Contributing to the severity of the accident were the trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 82 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 45 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 134 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot of the Cessna 172N departed his home airport for a short solo flight to another airport, where he made an uneventful full-stop landing, before returning to his home airport. The student pilot reported that while attempting to land on runway 27, the airplane was "blowing around quite a bit." During the landing attempt, the airplane bounced twice, and the pilot decided to perform a go-around. He applied power, and attempted to maintain 70 knots as he began the climbout; however, the airplane veered left, and "would not climb." The student pilot aborted the takeoff, and the airplane subsequently struck trees adjacent to a taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings and cabin structure during the collision. According to the student pilot's certificated flight instructor (CFI), the winds at the time of the accident were no more than 5 knots, but the windsock was "dancing." The CFI added that the winds were favoring runway 27, but might have switched to favor runway 9 at the time of the accident. The recorded conditions about the time of the accident, at an airport 13 miles northwest of the accident location, were winds from 020 degrees at 8 knots, and a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius. The pilot had accumulated approximately 15 total hours of flight experience, 3 hours of which were conducted solo. The student pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative The student pilot of the Cessna 172N departed his home airport for a short solo flight to another airport, where he made an uneventful full-stop landing, before returning to his home airport. The student pilot reported that while attempting to land on runway 27, the airplane was "blowing around quite a bit." During the landing attempt, the airplane bounced twice, and the pilot decided to perform a go-around. He applied power, and attempted to maintain 70 knots as he began the climbout; however, the airplane veered left, and "would not climb." The student pilot aborted the takeoff, and the airplane subsequently struck trees adjacent to a taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings and cabin structure during the collision. According to the student pilot's certificated flight instructor (CFI), the winds at the time of the accident were no more than 5 knots, but the windsock was "dancing." The CFI added that the winds were favoring runway 27, but might have switched to favor runway 9 at the time of the accident. The recorded conditions about the time of the accident, at an airport 13 miles northwest of the accident location, were winds from 020 degrees at 8 knots, and a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius. The pilot had accumulated approximately 15 total hours of flight experience, 3 hours of which were conducted solo. The student pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N739UG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N739UG-2008-11-06), registration cancelled 2008-11-06, S/N 17270812, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270812 - Airframe hours: 4946.1 - Engines: Lycoming O360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 1, 2008 - Departed: N81, Hamington, NJ - Destination: 17N, Williamstown, NJ - Airport: 17N, Cross Keys Airport, runway 27, 3,500 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 51; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: PHL, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080716841179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080716841179A), Jul 16, 2008: Cessna 172N, Cross Keys, NJ, Destroyed. (-23) Student pilot was unable to handle the Cross-wind and unable to handle go-around. The flight instructor will receive a 44709 letter for his ability to… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.