Flying W Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Medford, New Jersey 08055
Monday, December 18, 2000 21:27 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a local night VFR flight, the airplane experienced a complete loss of electrical power, and the pilot returned to his home airport. The pilot was unable to activate the runway lights, but the runway was equipped with VASI approach lighting. The passenger shined a flashlight on the instruments, and the pilot performed a no-flaps approach to a landing halfway down the runway. The airplane overran the runway and struck a ditch. Interpolation of a short field landing distance performance chart from the airplane owner's manual revealed that the distance required to land over a 50-foot obstacle with no flaps deployed was 1,687 feet. The runway was 3,496 feet long, and 75 feet wide. The pilot was issued his pilot certificate on the day before the accident, and had 47 hours of flight experience, 3.5 hours of which was at night. All of his flight experience was in make and model. A test of the airplane's electrical system revealed that the voltage regulator was inoperative.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point. Factors included the loss of electrical power, the dark night, and the pilot's lack of night experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/18/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2127
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MEDFORD
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08055
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395603N
Event Location Longitude 0744826W
Event Location Airport Flying W Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N14
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 49
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2155 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID WRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) -2467
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11319
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 18 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2223
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2002 7:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N789FW
NTSB Number IAD01LA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17264703
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Nov 10 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAVE FLIGHT SCHOOL LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 60 FOSTERTOWN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08055
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 N14
Departure City MEDFORD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1915
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 26 2001 5:52PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 3496
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --