Cessna R172 accident near Cresskill, New Jersey, September 3, 2015
On September 3, 2015 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna R172, registered N758DK, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Cresskill, New Jersey. It was an aerial observation flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s failure to apply proper torque to the cylinder flange nuts and through bolts during installation of the engine cylinders, which resulted in the loosening of the components, loss of lubrication, failure of the crankshaft, and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2015 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Cresskill, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172 K, built 1978 · all R172s on the register
- Registration
- N758DK · no longer on the register · serial R1723011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, while the public aircraft flight was in cruise flight about 2,000 ft mean sea level, the airplane's engine stopped producing power. During the subsequent descent, the pilot chose a large open area of several athletic fields for the forced landing. As the airplane approached the fields, the pilot observed that they were in use and that only a small space was available for landing due to people on the ground. The airplane subsequently landed hard and was destroyed during the impact. Examination of the engine maintenance records revealed that the Nos. 3 and 4 cylinders had been removed and reinstalled 231 hours before the accident. The cylinder flange nuts and through bolts were checked for security and breakaway torque, and several were found below factory specification. Disassembly of the engine revealed metal fragments and bearing material in the oil sump. Disassembly of the crankcase revealed that it was fractured and that the Nos. 1 and 2 main bearings and bearing journals had damage consistent with a loss of lubrication, high heat, and fatigue. It is likely that maintenance personnel did not apply sufficient torque to the cylinder flange nuts and through bolts during the installation of the engine cylinders.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 648 hours in all; 382 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 30, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,281 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 2015; 187 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 2,094 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: FRG Farmindale NY
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from TEB, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on February 25, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Police Report Excerpt (Pilot Statement) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA 8020-23 Narrative | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Examination Report (FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Google Earth Image of Accident Site | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.