Cessna 172P accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey, February 7, 2005
On February 7, 2005 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54812, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey (Cross Keys Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain directional control. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilots lack of experience, and the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2005 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Cross Keys, New Jersey · Cross Keys Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54812 · registry record · serial 17275056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident took place during the pilot's first supervised solo. The pilot was performing takeoffs and landings on runway 9. The first landing was without incident. During the second landing, the airplane departed the left side of the runway, struck a snow bank, yawed to the left, then nosed over. The pilot stated that the seat was lower in this airplane, than the airplane he had performed his previous training in, and he could not see the runway during the flare. He did not realize the airplane's proximity to the left side of the runway, since he was looking to the right at the taxiway, from which he planned to exit the runway. A post accident inspection of the airplane noted that it had sustained substantial damage. No pre-accident mechanical malfunctions were discovered and control continuity was verified. At the time of the accident the student pilot had accumulated 12.3 hours of total flight time, all of which were in make and model. The reported winds 13 nautical miles northwest, at 1254, were from 110 degrees at 3 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,311 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 22, 2004; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Philadelphia Flight Academy, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: 17N Cross Keys NJ
- Destination: 17N Cross Keys NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from PHL, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.