Cessna 650 accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey, October 27, 2007
On October 27, 2007 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Cessna 650, registered N697MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlantic City, New Jersey (Atlantic City International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The first officer's failure to maintain airspeed during approach, and the captain's inadequate remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the first officer's failure to comply with procedures, windshear, and the lack of windshear warning from air traffic control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2007 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic City, New Jersey · Atlantic City International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 650 · all 650s on the register
- Registration
- N697MC · no longer on the register · serial 650-0097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first officer was flying the Area Navigation, Global Positioning System, approach to runway 22. During the approach, the airplane was initially fast as the first officer had increased engine power to compensate for wind conditions. Descending below the minimum descent altitude (MDA), the first officer momentarily deployed the speed brakes, but stowed them about 200 feet above ground level (agl), and reduced the engine power to flight idle. The airplane became low and slow, and developed an excessive sink rate. The airplane subsequently landed hard on runway 22, which drove the right main landing gear into the right wing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The first officer reported intermittent airspeed fluctuations between his airspeed indicator and the captain's airspeed indicator; however, a subsequent check of the pitot-static system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airspeed indicators. About the time of the accident, the recorded wind was from 190 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 24 knots; and the captain believed that the airplane had encountered windshear near the MDA, with the flaps fully extended. Review of air traffic control data revealed that no windshear advisories were contained in the automated terminal information system broadcasts. Although the local controller provided windshear advisories to prior landing aircraft, he did not provide one to the accident aircraft. Review of the airplane flight manual (AFM) revealed that deploying the speed brakes below 500 feet agl, with the flaps in any position other than the retracted position, was prohibited.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,472 hours in all; 199 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 6,350 as pilot in command; 3 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,535 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 1,115 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,052 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 22,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE-731 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TFE-731 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Empire Airways INC
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 2:38 pm
- Destination: ACY Atlantic City NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 6,144 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from ACY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.