Cessna 172R accident near West Milford, New Jersey, June 9, 2000
On June 9, 2000 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N7274D, 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 had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2000 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- West Milford, New Jersey · Greenwood Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N7274D · no longer on the register · serial 17280712
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a normal pre-flight inspection and pre-takeoff engine check, the CFI and commercial pilot departed to practice some landings at nearby airports. The commercial pilot was flying, and both pilots described the flight to a local airport as uneventful. While turning onto the 'base leg' of the traffic pattern, at a power setting of 1,900 rpm, about 800 to 900 feet above ground level, the pilot attempted to increase engine power by moving the throttle forward; however, there was no response from engine. He then told the CFI 'there's no power.' The CFI confirmed that the throttle was unresponsive, and noticed that the engine rpm was slowly dropping. The CFI attempted to restart engine without success, and performed a forced landing to trees, which were located about 1/4 mile from the runway. Both pilots were wearing headsets, and said they did not hear any unusual noises or power changes prior to the loss of engine power. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-accident failures or malfunctions. The airplane had been operated for about 390 hours since new and was maintained under an approved manufacturer inspection program. Test-runs of the engine revealed a rich mixture operation in the idle and 400 pound airflow ranges, and an idle mixture rise of 120 rpm. Fuel flow checks of the fuel injector servo, flow divider, fuel nozzles and lines, revealed the flow divider and nozzles met new production test specifications and exhibited no unusual characteristics. Examination of the fuel servo did not reveal any physical malfunctions; however, a flow check of the fuel servo revealed a mixture that exceeded the rich test specification limits during several test points. Despite the rich mixture indication observed during testing, at no time was a loss of engine power experienced. The temperature and dewpoint reported at an airport about 18 miles south of the accident site, was 82 and 61 degrees F, respectively.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 394 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 246 as pilot in command; 36 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 390 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 8, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 4N1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from CDW, 18 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.
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.