Cessna 182RG accident near Princeton, New Jersey, March 20, 1988
On March 20, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N738QK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Princeton, New Jersey (Princeton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- March 20, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Princeton, New Jersey · Princeton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N738QK · registry record · serial R18200953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING AT PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE IN THE LAST 500 FEET BEFORE REACHING THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AND CAME IN WITH 10 DEGREE FLAPS. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND ROLLED A FEW FEET THEN LIFTED OFF AGAIN TOUCHING DOWN TO THE LEFT OF CENTER AND CONTINUED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING HIT THE TAIL SECTION OF A PARKED AIRCRAFT, PIVOTED AND CAME TO REST AT THE EDGE OF THE RAMP.
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: 165 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 965 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 39N Princeton NJ at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.