Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Tuesady, May 28, 1985 21:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED AFTER OVERFLYING MERCER CTY ARPT ON A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED TO 900 FT TO OVERFLY MERCER AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED VFR TO PRINCETON ARPT TO LAND WHEN IT CONTACTED TREES AND CRASHED. THE WX WAS IMC AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND AT MERCER CTY ARTP AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT WAS IN RADIO & VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE MERCER CTY ARPT AFTER AN ILS APPROACH AND WAS CLEARED FOR A FULL STOP LANDING BUT ASKED TO OVERFLY AND PROCEED TO PRINCETON. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FIELD WAS IFR AND HE WOULD HAVE TO LAND AS THE TOWER COULD NTO APPROVE THE FLT PLAN. THE PLT THEN ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR DEPARTURE OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE WHICH HE RECEIVED AT 2114 EDT. THE PLT REPORTED CLEAR OF THE ZONE AT 2116 EDT. THE CRASH OCCURRED AT 2130 EDT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/28/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PRINCETON
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08540
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 45 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID TTN
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2917
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 28 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2225
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31408
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5807F
NTSB Number NYC85FHD02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210F
Aircraft Series Identifier 210F
Aircraft Serial Number 21058807
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KOTARD CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 111 WELDON WAY
Aircraft Owner City PENNINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08534
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 No
Departure Airport Code CRE
Departure City NO. MYRTLE BCH
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 39N
Destination City PRINCETON
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --