Cessna 182RG accident near Toms River, New Jersey, October 31, 2006
On October 31, 2006 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N6362T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toms River, New Jersey (Robert J. Miller Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a landing short of the runway. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2006 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Toms River, New Jersey · Robert J. Miller Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6362T · no longer on the register · serial R18201997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In preparation for his commercial pilot check ride, the flight instructor had the private pilot perform a short field takeoff. During the climbout, the airplane encountered minor turbulence with "some" fluctuation in airspeed. The flight instructor then had the private pilot perform a short field landing, and during the final approach leg, the private pilot chose an aiming point "just prior to the start of the runway" to begin his flare. Everything appeared normal on approach until the airplane suddenly sank, then impacted the ground about 10 feet prior to the runway. The airplane subsequently struck the "lip" of the runway, bounced, and impacted the runway "hard" on its landing gear. A postflight examination of the airplane revealed a flat nose landing gear strut. Winds were from straight ahead, at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The private pilot reported that due to the proximity of the ground, and the speed at which the sink occurred, no recovery techniques could be applied. There were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,160 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 229 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 3,100 as pilot in command; 2,370 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 920 hours in all; 820 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 485 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,219 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,112 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MJX Toms River NJ at 5:10 pm
- Destination: MJX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,949 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from WRI, 1 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.