# NTSB NYC85LA084: Cessna 172P, N62541, Princeton, NJ, March 16, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 16, 1985, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Princeton, NJ
- Location: 40.3991° N, 74.6590° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PRINCETON (39N), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3991&lon=-74.6590&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35844
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC85LA084
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35844/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC85LA084

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - aircraft handling - poor, pilot in command
  - recovery from bounced landing - delayed, pilot in command

## Analysis

THE ACFT EXPERIENCED NOSE GEAR DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR AND BOUNCED AS THE NOSE GEAR WAS BEING LOWERED. AFTER THE ACFT PORPOISED SEVERAL TIMES THE PLT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND THE ACFT SETTLED ONTO THE RWY.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N62541](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62541-1988-08-31), registration cancelled 1988-08-31, S/N 17275299, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17275299
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Penna Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 5, 1985, 8 hours before
- Airport: 39N, Princeton, runway 28, 3,100 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 154 total, 67 in this make and model, 78 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 50 °F

## 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 19850316010939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850316010939A), Mar 16, 1985: Cessna 172P, Princeton, NJ, Substantial damage. Aircraft porpoised on landing. Damage to nose gear and propeller. More than 90 days since last flight.

## Other investigations on N62541 (2)

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.

- [NTSB NYC88FA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88FA202), Aug 3, 1988: Cessna 172P (N62541), Post Mills, VT, destroyed, 2 fatal
- [NTSB CHI83LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI83LA183), Apr 23, 1983: Cessna 172 (N62541), Frankfort, IL, substantial damage

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.