- Date
- February 26, 1999, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Berlin, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N737MJCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990226030119A
- Case key
- 45879
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 in command's failure to obtain the proper touch down point on the runway, and failure to perform a go-around. A factor relating to the accident was a sudden wind shift.
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 landing, the certified flight instructor noticed an increase in ground speed. The airplane began to float and touched down with 660 feet of runway remaining. Maximum braking was applied and the flaps were retracted to the 10 degree position. The airplane ran off the end of the runway, striking a fence before coming to rest on a railroad track.
Factual narrative
On February 26, 1999, about 0945 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 172N, N737MJ, was substantially damaged when it overran the end of the runway at the Camden County Airport (19N), Berlin, New Jersey. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The CFI stated they had departed the Trenton-Robbinsville Airport intending to land at 19N. Upon arriving at 19N, the UNICOM frequency advised that the winds were shifting and Runway 23 was the active. The CFI decided to perform a fly-by to visually look at the windsock, which confirmed the winds were favoring runway 23, although there would be a 60 degree crosswind. The CFI re-entered the pattern to land on runway 23. As the airplane crossed the threshold on final approach, at approximately 60 knots, with 20 degrees of flaps, the CFI retarded the throttle to idle. The CFI then observed the wind shift to a tailwind and the ground-speed of the airplane began to increase, causing the airplane to float. The airplane touched down with about 660 feet remaining of the 3,102 foot runway. The CFI applied maximum braking and retracted the flaps to decrease lift, and put more weight on the wheels. The airplane then ran off the end of the runway, hit a fence, crossed a road, and came to rest upright on a railroad single track.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, revealed that the flaps were only retracted to about 10 degrees of deflection. The flap selector switch, located in the cockpit of the airplane, was found in the 10 degree position.
An airport, located 15 miles to the northwest, reported winds from 320 degrees at 17 knots, with peak winds to 27 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N737MJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 69528
- Airframe hours
- 2,735
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ken Marson Aero Club
- Registered owner
- George Morningstern
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- N87 · Robbinsville, NJ
- Destination
- 19N
- Airport
- 19N · Camden County, runway 23, 3,100 × 45 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
- 72
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 17,380 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 15,600 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 17 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHL, 15 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.