Cessna 172H accident near Andover, New Jersey, March 18, 1990
On March 18, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N8213L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andover, New Jersey (Aeroflex-Andover airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, New Jersey · Aeroflex-Andover
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8213L · registry record · serial 17254413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT ANDOVER TO TOP THE TANKS. DURING THE APPROACH, TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED, FULL POWER WAS APPLIED, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH SINK RATE, STALL RECOVERY WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY WITH THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT MANAGED TO AVOID HITTING SOME PARKED AIRCRAFT AND TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON ALL THREE WHEELS.
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: 1,905 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,350 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 13, 1989; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NO7 Lincoln Park NJ at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,997 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.