Cessna 172 accident near Manville, New Jersey, November 18, 2020
On November 18, 2020 at about 4:43 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172, registered N734JF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Manville, New Jersey (Central Jersey Regional Airpor airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusty crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2020 · about 4:43 pm local time
- Place
- Manville, New Jersey · Central Jersey Regional Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1978 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N734JF · no longer on the register · serial 17268884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After practicing flight maneuvers with his student in the training area, the flight instructor opted to fly the approach and landing due to the gusting crosswinds. On the first landing attempt, the wind was a direct 90° gusting crosswind. The instructor was unable to maintain the runway centerline using the wing low side-slip technique and executed a go-around maneuver. On the second attempt, following touchdown, the airplane veered left in the gusting crosswind. The instructor input full right aileron; however, the airplane travelled off the left side of the runway, hit a runway light, and nosed over after impacting the lip of a taxiway. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures, nor did the flight instructor report any. The recorded wind at the nearest weather reporting facility, about 7 miles northwest of the accident airport, was a direct right crosswind at 13 knots, gusting to 25 knots at the time of the accident.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 638 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 484 as pilot in command; 297 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 11, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2020; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 885 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,507 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KSMQ, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSMQ 181653Z AUTO 34013G25KT 10SM FEW049 02/M11 A3048 RMK AO2 PK WND 30027/1629 SLP325 T00171106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 24, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Area Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 6 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.