Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brooklyn, New York 11224
Saturday, May 21, 2005 13:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After departing on an instructional flight, the instructor and three passengers were fatally injured when the airplane impacted terrain while maneuvering along a beach. Radar data showed the accident flight at 300 feet and at a ground speed of 60 knots just prior to the accident. This was correlated by witness statements that the airplane was observed to be at a low altitude prior to descending in a nose down attitude and impacting the ground. No preimpact malfunctions of the airplane were discovered and the flaps were in the 30-degree position. A review of the accident flight's weight and balance information revealed that the flight was flown in an overweight condition. According to the manufacturer's information manual for the airplane, at the maximum certificated takeoff weight, an altitude loss during a stall recovery could be as much as 230 feet. At the 30-degree wing flap position, published stall speeds for the airplane ranged from 40 knots at 0 degrees of bank to 57 knots at 60 degrees of bank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1332
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Brooklyn
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 11224
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403420N
Event Location Longitude 0735852W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1340 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 78
Weather Observation Facility ID JFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
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) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19990
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 21 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Farmingdale, NY

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N778LP
NTSB Number IAD05FA067
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S-8778
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Mar 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55.3
Airframe Hours 1940.8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RJ Ventures LLC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Paramus
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07652
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Air Fleet Training Systems Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Teterboro
Operator State NJ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 07608
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LDJ
Departure City Linden
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1324
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LDJ
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2006 4:29PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --