Cessna 172N accident near Hammonton, New Jersey, April 27, 1983
On April 27, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4861G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hammonton, New Jersey (Hammonton 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 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 27, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hammonton, New Jersey · Hammonton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4861G · registry record · serial 17273408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A SOFT FIELD AND NOSED OVER DURING LANDING. THE LANDING WAS ON RUNWAY 21 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEGREES AT 10 KTS. THE ACFT HAD ROLLED ABOUT 1000 FEET WHEN IT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT TRIED LEFT RUDDER AND AILERON. THIS DID NOT STOP THE SWERVE SO THE PILOT TRIED LEFT AILERON AND LEFT BRAKE. THE AIRCRAFTLEFT THE RUNWAY AND WENT 50 FEET INTO A PLOWED FIELD WHERE IT NOSED OVER AS IT STOPPED.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1982; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320HZAD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 6:10 pm
- Destination: N81 Hammonton NJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.