Cessna 172 accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey, March 24, 2000
On March 24, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N52633, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey (Allaire Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A factor in the accident was the pilot's use of excessive nose-down elevator trim.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New Jersey · Allaire Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N52633 · no longer on the register · serial 17274572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot taxied onto the runway for departure, he set the elevator trim wheel 1/2 inch nose down, announced his departure, and applied full power. He reported that he 'felt nose-down pressure from the beginning of the takeoff roll.' As the airplane accelerated, the pilot 'wound off the trim' and at 55 knots, the airplane rotated. The pilot stated that immediately after takeoff, the airplane dove toward the runway. It struck the runway and bounced twice. The airplane then experienced a 'small bounce', and landed on the main gear. The pilot stated that he experienced no flight control difficulties prior to the accident, and reported that the accident could have been caused by many possibilities, including, '...a stall, excessive nose-down trim, or a relaxed yoke.' Additionally, the pilot stated his normal procedure for takeoff was to apply about 1/2 inch of nose-down trim, to 'keep the airplane on the runway.' After the accident, the elevator trim wheel was rotated without restriction, and examination of the airplane revealed no pre-impact failure of the flight controls.
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: 430 hours in all; 423 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 264 as pilot in command; 252 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,290 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 8, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLM NJ at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 7,300 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from BLM
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.