Allaire Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Farmingdale, New Jersey 07727
Friday, March 24, 2000 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After the pilot taxied onto the runway for departure, he set the elevator trim wheel 1/2 inch nose down, announced his departure, and applied full power. He reported that he 'felt nose-down pressure from the beginning of the takeoff roll.' As the airplane accelerated, the pilot 'wound off the trim' and at 55 knots, the airplane rotated. The pilot stated that immediately after takeoff, the airplane dove toward the runway. It struck the runway and bounced twice. The airplane then experienced a 'small bounce', and landed on the main gear. The pilot stated that he experienced no flight control difficulties prior to the accident, and reported that the accident could have been caused by many possibilities, including, '...a stall, excessive nose-down trim, or a relaxed yoke.' Additionally, the pilot stated his normal procedure for takeoff was to apply about 1/2 inch of nose-down trim, to 'keep the airplane on the runway.' After the accident, the elevator trim wheel was rotated without restriction, and examination of the airplane revealed no pre-impact failure of the flight controls.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A factor in the accident was the pilot's use of excessive nose-down elevator trim.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FARMINGDALE
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07727
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALLAIRE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BLM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 159
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BLM
Elevation of weather observation facility 159
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 199
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 87
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 27 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 1:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52633
NTSB Number NYC00LA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17274572
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4290
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OBRIEN AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 49
Aircraft Owner City BAY HEAD
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08742
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BLM
Departure City
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 7300
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --