Cessna 210F accident near Princeton, New Jersey, May 29, 1985
On May 29, 1985 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 210F, registered N5807F, was destroyed in an accident near Princeton, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- May 29, 1985 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210F · all 210Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5807F · no longer on the register · serial 21058807
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED AFTER OVERFLYING MERCER CTY ARPT ON A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED TO 900 FT TO OVERFLY MERCER AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED VFR TO PRINCETON ARPT TO LAND WHEN IT CONTACTED TREES AND CRASHED. THE WX WAS IMC AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND AT MERCER CTY ARTP AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT WAS IN RADIO & VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE MERCER CTY ARPT AFTER AN ILS APPROACH AND WAS CLEARED FOR A FULL STOP LANDING BUT ASKED TO OVERFLY AND PROCEED TO PRINCETON. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FIELD WAS IFR AND HE WOULD HAVE TO LAND AS THE TOWER COULD NTO APPROVE THE FLT PLAN. THE PLT THEN ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR DEPARTURE OUT OF THE CONTROL ZONE WHICH HE RECEIVED AT 2114 EDT. THE PLT REPORTED CLEAR OF THE ZONE AT 2116 EDT. THE CRASH OCCURRED AT 2130 EDT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,033 hours in all; 527 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 895 as pilot in command; 61 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1985; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO 520 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE No. Myrtle Bch SC
- Destination: 39N Princeton NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from TTN, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.