Cessna R182 accident near Hamilton Twnshp, New Jersey, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 1:48 am local time, a Cessna R182, registered N4972S, was destroyed in an accident near Hamilton Twnshp, New Jersey (Atlantic City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 21, 1985 · about 1:48 am local time
- Place
- Hamilton Twnshp, New Jersey · Atlantic City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N4972S · no longer on the register · serial R18201499
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT'S ORIGINAL DESTN WAS BADER FIELD AT ATLANTIC CITY. HOWEVER, DURING ARRIVAL, HE DIVERTED TO THE ATLANTIC CITY ARPT, SINCE BADER FIELD WAS BELOW MINS. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED FOR AN ILS RWY 13 APCH & THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR THE APCH. HE WAS THEN CLEARED TO LAND & WAS ADVISED THAT THE RVR FOR RWY 13 WAS 4000 FT & THE WIND WAS FROM 090 DEG AT 5 KTS. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRANSMISSION, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. THE ACFT CRASH ABOUT 3.5 MI NORTHWEST OF THE ARPT IN A WOODED AREA. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH TREES JUST SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE LINE. ELEVATION AT THE ACDNT SITE WAS 60 FT. THE ARPT ELEVATION WAS 76 FT & THE DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE ILS WAS 276 FT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ACDNT. DURING THE FLT THE PLT HAD RADIOED THAT A CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD 'POPPED' BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. THE BREAKERS FOR THE NAV LGTS & FLAPS WERE FOUND DISENGAGED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,925 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,815 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,574 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 21, 1984; 614 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BVY Beverly MA at 10:46 pm
- Destination: ACY Atlantic City NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 10,000 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from ACY
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.