# NTSB NYC96LA055: Cessna 150M, N9153U, Readington, NJ, January 25, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 25, 1996, 13:20 local (18:20 UTC) - Place: Readington, NJ - Location: 40.5828° N, 74.7367° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SOLBERG/HUNTERDON (N51), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5828&lon=-74.7367&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 11, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39145 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC96LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39145/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA055 ## Probable cause The student pilot's unapproved landing at a second destination during his first solo cross-country, and his inadequate compensation for a cross wind, which resulted in the airplane veering off of the runway and the subsequent nose over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind - flight to new destination - not approved, pilot in command (cause) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - snow covered ## Analysis The student pilot (SP) departed on his first solo cross-country flight. The planned flight was to fly to another airport and return to the departure airport. After a 1 hour flight, the SP completed a landing at the intermediate destination airport, and departed on the return leg. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the SP attempted a landing at a second airport, 'for personal urgent needs.' The SP followed two other airplanes and landed on runway 22. During the landing flare the airplane ballooned, veered off the runway, and nosed over. The investigation revealed that the SP was not authorized to land at the second airport. Winds reported at the intermediate destination, 35 miles west of the second airport, were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15. The student pilot had accumulated about 46 hours of total flying experience, of which 17 hours were solo, all in this make and model airplane. ## Factual narrative On January 25, 1996, at 1320 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N9153U, was substantially damaged during landing at the Solberg-Hunterdon Airport (N51), Readington, New Jersey. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo cross-country flight that originated at Matawan, New Jersey, about 1200. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a written statement, the student pilot (SP) stated that he departed the Marlboro Airport (2N8) in Matawan, on his first solo cross-country flight. The planned flight was to fly to the Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania, and return to 2N8. The SP completed a landing at ABE after a 1 hour flight, and departed for the return leg. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the SP attempted a landing at N51, "for personal urgent needs." The SP further stated: "...after watching one similar aircraft land, I followed a second similar aircraft in the pattern, and landed on runway 22 at Solberg. The wind was strong and steady on a true crosswind. Upon my short final, when I flared, I ballooned, the wind pushed me off the runway where the plane went over, coming to rest upside down..." In a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector's report, he stated: "...[the pilot] indicated there was a strong crosswind from the right side. The pilot started to lose control and the aircraft started to go to the left onto the grass. The pilot then elected to power out of the area, but the aircraft went further left on the grass...[The pilot] reduced the power to cut-off and applied brakes. He did indicate that the aircraft skidded on the snow and then flipped over the nose...[the pilot] did state that there was no indication of a malfunction of the aircraft..." The SP had departed runway 27 at 2N8, and landed and departed on runway 31 at ABE. According to the SP's flight instructor, he and the SP had reviewed the SP's flight plan and ascertained "...that there were appropriate available runways given current and forecasted weather conditions..." The flight instructor also stated that the SP was not authorized to land at N51. The student pilot had accumulated about 46 hours of total flying experience, of which 17 hours were solo, all in this make and model airplane. Winds reported at ABE, 35 miles west of N51, were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9153U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9153U-1998-06-08), registration cancelled 1998-06-08, S/N 15078104 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150M - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15078104 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Marlboro Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 29, 1995 - Departed: ABE, ALLENTOWN, PA - Destination: 2N8, MARLBORO, NJ - Airport: N51, Solberg-Hunterdon, runway 22, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model, 17 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 7 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,200 ft broken - Observed at: ABE, 35 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 19960125001049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960125001049A), Jan 25, 1996: Cessna 150M, Readington, NJ, Substantial damage. First cross country. Tried land unautherized N51 due body needs. Drifted in crosswind. Began go around. Nosed over. 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.