Cessna 170 accident near Williamstown, New Jersey, October 23, 1993
On October 23, 1993 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N3975V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williamstown, New Jersey (Southern Cross airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue failure of the gear axle which resulted in the collapse of the left main gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1993 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Williamstown, New Jersey · Southern Cross
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N3975V · registry record · serial 18294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE HAD STARTED THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND HAD TRAVELLED ABOUT 150 FEET WHEN THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY SWERVED LEFT AND THEN NOSED OVER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FATIGUE CRACKING OCCURRED AT THE JUNCTION OF THE FLANGE AND MAIN LANDING GEAR AXLE, RESULTING IN THE FAILURE OF THE AXLE, AND SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE LANDING GEAR FROM THE AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 442 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 383 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.