Cessna 172P accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, March 24, 2002
On March 24, 2002 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N9847L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey (Ocean City Municipal airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2002 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, New Jersey · Ocean City Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9847L · registry record · serial 17276635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two Civil Air Patrol pilots departed on the first leg of a cross country proficiency flight. The pilot was seated in the right front seat and the second pilot sat in the left front seat. The second pilot flew the first leg of the trip, but transferred control of the airplane to the pilot after she lost sight of the airport while in the traffic pattern at the destination airport. The pilot assumed control of the airplane, exited the pattern, and reestablished a normal right downwind pattern entry. He then transferred control of the airplane back to the second pilot. Upon turning final, the airplane was high. The pilot again took control of the airplane, flew the approach, and landed on runway 24. When the airplane touched down, it swerved off the right side of the runway and went into a marsh. The pilot said the crosswind component was more severe than what was reported, and was between 45 and 60 degrees off the runway heading. The pilot also said that he did not correct for the crosswind and the perspective that he had from flying in the right seat contributed to the accident. Wind reported at an airport 12 miles away were from 220 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 20 knots.
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: 279 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 132 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,144.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2002; 20.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYL Doylestown PA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 26N Ocean City NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 240, 2,973 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from ACY, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number IAD02LA038.