Princeton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rocky Hill, New Jersey 08553
Wednesday, April 6, 2005 20:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On the short final leg of the approach to the destination airport, the pilot observed an airplane at the opposite end of the runway and initiated a go-around. He turned the airplane right, applied full power, and retracted the landing gear, flaps and speed brakes. As he was attempting to adjust the elevator trim in a nose down direction, and was holding forward pressure on the control yoke, the airplane "stalled," and the airplane impacted the ground. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "I should have done a go-around straight down the runway, not a 45-degree turn off airport."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent impact with terrain. Factors included the night lighting conditions, and the airplane approaching the opposite runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Rocky Hill
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08553
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402357N
Event Location Longitude 0743932W
Event Location Airport Princeton Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 39N
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 125
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
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 Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17970
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allentown FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4398H
NTSB Number IAD05LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Mooney
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0725
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Aug 6 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 5926
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name K T W & Associates LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dover
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 No
Departure Airport Code WWD
Departure City Wildwood
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 39N
Destination City Rocky Hill
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2005 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --