Solberg-Hunterdon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Somerville, New Jersey
Friday, August 19, 1983 20:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS THE FLIGHT NEARED THE RUNWAY IT WAS FLARED FOR TOUCHDOWN. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL POWER, PUSHED THE NOSE FORWARD AND RAISED THE ELECTRIC FLAP LEVER. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SEEM TO CLIMB AND FELT MUSHY. AT THIS TIME THE NOSE WAS PUSHED FORWARD AND IN A SHORT TIME THE PLANE STRUCK THE GROUND, BOUNCED AND THEN SETTLED ON THE SECOND BOUNCE. THE PILOT HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS BUT AFTER PASSING THE LIGHTS, IT BECAME COMPLETELY DARK WITH ALMOST NO FORWARD VISION TO THE HORIZON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2050
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SOMERVILLE
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOLBERG-HUNTERDON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N51
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 195
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1401
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21695
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 N444FS
NTSB Number NYC83LA217
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 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 172-61632
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 Jul 20 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 3488
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALPHA FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address BURLINGTON COUNTY AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MT. HOLLY
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7MY
Departure City MT. HOLLY
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 20
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code N51
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 22
Runway Length 3670
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --