Cessna 172 accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, May 16, 1992
On May 16, 1992 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N54860, was destroyed in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Caldwell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1992 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Caldwell
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54860 · no longer on the register · serial 17275070
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE WAS HAVING CONTROL PROBLEMS SHORTLY AFTER HE DEPARTED ON THE IFR FLIGHT; HE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO CDW. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED FOR THE LOCALIZER APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22; HOWEVER DURING THE APPROACH THE FLIGHT DEVIATED LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. WHEN HE SIGHTED THE RUNWAY, IT WAS OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE, AND ABOUT 600 TO 700 FEET BELOW. HE BANKED STEEPLY RIGHT, LOWERED FLAPS 10 DEGREES AND SIDESLIPPED THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN, OVERRAN THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH A RAVINE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT THE LAST 200 FEET OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE LOGBOOK, THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED AN INSTRUMENT RATING MORE THAN SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD NOT LOGGED ANY ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME SINCE THEN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 491.6 hours in all; 200.1 in this make and model; 12.3 in the last 90 days; 8.5 in the last 30 days; 326 as pilot in command; 396 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1992; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mac Dan Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 7:55 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:21 pm from TEB, 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.