Cessna 185F accident near Somerville, New Jersey, September 15, 2004
On September 15, 2004 at about 1:06 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N29BF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, New Jersey (Somerset Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing. A factor was the pilot's impairment due to the influence of non-prescribed pain medication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2004 · about 1:06 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, New Jersey · Somerset Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N29BF · registry record · serial 18502380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon touching down on the runway, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, struck a parked airplane, and continued into a hangar. Inside the hangar, the accident airplane struck another parked airplane, before coming to a stop. After the accident, state authorities arrested the pilot, and found a supply of prescription sedative medication in the airplane. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical abnormalities with the airframe, landing gear assembly, or the engine. Review of the pilot's medical records by the NTSB Medical Officer revealed that on the pilot's most recent application for second-class airman medical certificate, the pilot indicated "Yes" in response to the question about "Substance dependence" and "Alcohol dependence or abuse." Under "Comments on History and Findings" the pilot stated, "...involved in airplane crash. Substance abuse involved..."
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,380 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,107 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,590 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2004; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT at 12:00 pm
- Destination: SMQ Somerville NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,733 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 1:07 pm from SMQ
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.