Princeton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Saturday, July 29, 2000 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot departed on a solo instructional flight and was on his third approach to the runway. The airplane approached the runway in a nose-high attitude, and struck the tailskid on the ground. The student pilot applied engine power to abort the landing and the airplane veered left and struck the left wing on the ground. Witnesses said the airplane 'cartwheeled' and came to rest facing opposite the direction of travel. The student pilot logged 42 hours of total flight experience. He said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. According to FAA Advisory Circular AC-61-23C, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: 'The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the aborted landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PRINCETON
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08540
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRINCETON AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 39N
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 125
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 233
Weather Observation Facility ID TTN
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 945
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11056
NTSB Notification Source FAA - Eastern Region Comm Cent
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 28 2001 7:25AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65827
NTSB Number IAD00LA068
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17275900
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 21 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 9850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RARITAN VALLEY FLYING SCHOOL
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 206 PRINCETON AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City PRINCETON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08540
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 39N
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2001 4:02AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 3099
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --