Cessna 172P accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, July 28, 2005
On July 28, 2005 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N98730, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Essex County 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 pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was a partial loss of engine power, as reported by the pilot, for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2005 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Essex County 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
- N98730 · no longer on the register · serial 17276340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was "too high" and "too fast" during final approach to the runway, and initiated a go-around. As he applied full power, he noticed that the noise of the engine did not seem to accelerate, and the engine rpm began to decrease. He then prepared for a forced landing to the grass beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing, the airplane "hit hard" on the right main landing gear. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies, and the student pilot reported 45 hours of total flight experience, all of which were in the accident airplane make and model.
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: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mac Dan Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 8:10 pm
- Destination: CDW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CDW
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.
Other NTSB records under N98730 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.