Cessna 172M accident near Somerville, New Jersey, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983, a Cessna 172M, registered N444FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, New Jersey (Solberg-Hunterdon airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- August 20, 1983
- Place
- Somerville, New Jersey · Solberg-Hunterdon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N444FS · no longer on the register · serial 172-61632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS THE FLIGHT NEARED THE RUNWAY IT WAS FLARED FOR TOUCHDOWN. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL POWER, PUSHED THE NOSE FORWARD AND RAISED THE ELECTRIC FLAP LEVER. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SEEM TO CLIMB AND FELT MUSHY. AT THIS TIME THE NOSE WAS PUSHED FORWARD AND IN A SHORT TIME THE PLANE STRUCK THE GROUND, BOUNCED AND THEN SETTLED ON THE SECOND BOUNCE. THE PILOT HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS BUT AFTER PASSING THE LIGHTS, IT BECAME COMPLETELY DARK WITH ALMOST NO FORWARD VISION TO THE HORIZON.
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: 349 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 276 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1983; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7MY Mt. Holly NJ
- Destination: N51
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,670 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.