Cessna 172P accident near Princeton, New Jersey, May 19, 1992
On May 19, 1992 at about 1:38 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55110, was destroyed in an accident near Princeton, New Jersey (Princeton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE OVER AN OBSTACLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A TAILWIND, DARK NIGHT, AND PREMATURE RAISING OF THE FLAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1992 · about 1:38 am local time
- Place
- Princeton, New Jersey · Princeton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55110 · no longer on the register · serial 17275112
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 50 FOOT HIGH TREE AT NIGHT, 1200 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28. THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED WESTBOUND. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS TRYING TO LAND USING RUNWAY 28, BUT WAS TWICE UNSUCCESSFUL, WHICH SHE ATTRIBUTED TO A TAILWIND, SO SHE LANDED ON THE FIRST TRY USING RUNWAY 10. AFTER HER SECOND TRY TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28, SHE NOTICED ANOTHER AIRPLANE, ALSO DOING A GO AROUND AFTER AN UNSUCCESSFUL LANDING ATTEMPT ON RUNWAY 28. SHE RADIOED THE PILOT TO ADVISE HIM TO USE RUNWAY 10, AND HE REPLIED WITH AN UNCLEAR TRANSMISSION WHICH ABRUPTLY ENDED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED NIGHT FLIGHT AT THIS AIRPORT FOUR TIMES BEFORE. HE HAD FOUR HOURS OF TOTAL NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED FIVE DEGREES. ACCORDING TO CESSNA, DURING A GO AROUND, THE FLAPS SHOULD BE REDUCED TO 10 DEGREES UNTIL OBSTACLES HAVE BEEN CLEARED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,123 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 27, 1992; 2,286 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 39N
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,096 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from TTN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.