Cessna 172 accident near Tinton Falls, New Jersey, July 1, 1994
On July 1, 1994 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6979X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tinton Falls, New Jersey. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1994 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tinton Falls, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6979X · registry record · serial 17247879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BANNER-TOWING AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT 1000 FEET, WHEN, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE 'BEGAN TO SPUTTER.' THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP, PULLED THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND INCREASED THE MIXTURE. THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT MOMENTARILY AND THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PILOT JETTISONED THE BANNER AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ONTO A HIGHWAY. HE SWERVED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID VEHICLES AND IMPACTED A CURB, SHEARING THE NOSEWHEEL AND DAMAGING THE FIREWALL. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND OBSERVED FUEL IN THE TANKS. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN WITHOUT ANY MALFUNCTIONS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 564 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 502 as pilot in command; 202 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Allaire NJ at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from MIV, 45 miles away
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.