Cessna 172N accident near Trenton, New Jersey, April 15, 1982
On April 15, 1982 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4940G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trenton, New Jersey (Mercer County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1982 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Trenton, New Jersey · Mercer County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4940G · registry record · serial 17273487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DEPARTURE, THE PILOT INITIATED AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF WITH ABOUT 4000 FT OF RUNWAY REMAINING. HE REPORTED THAT THE TAKEOFF PROCEEDED NORMALLY THROUGH LIFT-OFF TO ABOUT 25 FT AGL. FROM THERE, THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND BOUNCED. ELECTING TO ABORT, THE PILOT REDUCED POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AT LEAST TWO MORE TIMES, THEN VEERED TO THE RIGHT. IT CONTINUED OFF OF THE RUNWAY AT THE DEPARTURE END, RAN DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, AND FLIPPED OVER. AN INSPECTION OF THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB REVEALED THAT IT WAS DEFLECTED TWO INCHES TOWARD A NOSE DOWN POSITION. A FULL NOSE DOWN DEFLECTION IS 3 3/16 INCHES, WHEREAS THE TAB IS IN A NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN TRIMMED FOR TAKEOFF.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 773 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mcdan Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TTN Trenton NJ at 12:15 pm
- Destination: COW Caldwell NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.