Cessna 172XP accident near Vineland, New Jersey, March 26, 1989
On March 26, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172XP, registered N758BZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vineland, New Jersey (Kroelinger 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 PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF SPEED & DISTANCE DURING LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT TO BE EXCEEDED. THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vineland, New Jersey · Kroelinger
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172XP · all 172XPs on the register
- Registration
- N758BZ · no longer on the register · serial R1722977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 172XP WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH A PRIVATE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS. THE LANDING SURFACE WAS GRASS WHICH THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS SOFT, WET, AND ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO THE END AND WENT THROUGH A DRAINAGE DITCH WHICH COLLAPSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER.
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: 514 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 1989; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 29N Vineland NJ at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,150 ft by 190 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.