Cessna 172RG accident near Fairfield, New Jersey, March 18, 1994
On March 18, 1994, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9585B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN, AT THE PROPER SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN AND CONTACT WITH A FENCE. A FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW HIS INITIAL AIR TRAFFIC INSTRUCTIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1994
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Essex County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9585B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0900
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITH WINDS FROM 320 TO 330 DEGREES, AT 8 TO 10 KNOTS, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A LEFT CROSSWIND ENTRY TO RWY 4. INSTEAD HE LINED UP WITH RWY 9. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER SAW THIS AND THEN CLEARED HIM TO LAND ON RWY 9 WHICH WAS 3721 FEET LONG. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY, CROSSED 325 FEET OF OPEN FIELD, WENT THROUGH A FENCE, UP AN EMBANKMENT AND CAME TO REST ON A 4 LANE ROAD. THERE WERE 500 FEET OF SKID MARKS ON THE RWY, AND THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED 375 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE PILOT SAID HE LANDED LONG, WITHOUT FLAPS, CARRIED EXTRA POWER, AND FLOATED. HE SAID HIS TOUCHDOWN SPEED WAS 85 KNOTS. RUNWAY 9 WAS 830 FEET SHORTER THAN RUNWAY 4.
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: 360 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,776 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 5, 1994; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mac Dan Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,721 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.