Essex Co. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Liberty Corner, New Jersey 07938
Sunday, April 3, 1983 19:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT AND PASSENGER ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1820 EST, REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE AND WHEN THAT CLEARANCE COULD NOT BE APPROVED REQUESTED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. ATTEMPTS TO ACTIVATE THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN WERE UNSUCCESSUFUL DUE TO COMMUNICATION LINE PROBLEMS. THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDED NOT TO FILE THE FLIGHT PLAN AND STATED THAT BASED ON FORECASTS OF IMPROVING CONDITIONS TO THE WEST AND VISIBILITIES OF THREE TO FIVE MILES FROMTHE TOWER SHE PLANNED TO PROCEED VFR FOLLOWING THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TO THE SOUTH AND THEN TO THE WEST. THE PLT STATED SHE FLEW BELOW THE CLOUD BASES, WHICH SHE ESTIMATED WERE AT 800 TO 900 FEET. PRIOR TO REACHING INTERSTATE 22 AND WHILE IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT THE ACFT UNEXPECTEDLY IMPACTED TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LIBERTY CORNER
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07938
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ESSEX CO.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CDW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 16
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1846 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 62
Weather Observation Facility ID MMU
Elevation of weather observation facility 186
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2523
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22836
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2574L
NTSB Number NYC83FA091
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17255774
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 Feb 1 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1656
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEON AND BETTY GROSKY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1209 HERITAGE LANE
Aircraft Owner City LEBANON
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17042
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CDW
Departure City CALDWELL
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 42N
Destination City MYERSTOWN
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --