Cessna 172RG accident near West Milford, New Jersey, August 11, 2002
On August 11, 2002 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6257R, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Milford, New Jersey (Greenwood Lake Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot's excessive rotation and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2002 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6257R · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After performing slow flight and stall maneuvers, the flight instructor and the private pilot continued to the airport to practice takeoffs and landings. The accident occurred while attempting a soft-field takeoff. The private pilot applied full power, pulled the nose of the airplane up "really high", and the tail of the airplane struck the ground. The airplane drifted to the right side of the runway. The instructor took the flight controls and attempted to recover it. He tried to abort, and reduced the power, but the airplane continued to the left, struck a berm, nosed over, and came to rest inverted.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,815 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,735 as pilot in command; 1,425 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,035.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2002; 58.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-360-FIA6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Fleet Training Systems
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 4N1 West Milford NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from CDW
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.
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.