Cessna 172M accident near Teterboro, New Jersey, September 16, 1998
On September 16, 1998 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64453, was substantially damaged in an accident near Teterboro, New Jersey (Teterboro 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors in this accident were the night light conditions, and pilot's lack of recent night flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1998 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Teterboro, New Jersey · Teterboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64453 · registry record · serial 17265240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed at his destination at night. While taxing, he was unable to locate the airplane's taxi/landing, and panel lights. He was given progressive taxi instructions by the ground controller, and was instructed to make a right turn onto taxiway 'B' and to 'expedite' his crossing of runway 1/19. The pilot made a right turn onto taxiway 'B' and applied power. He said it was 'absolutely dark' and he did not see the taxiway center line lights anymore. The pilot lost control of the airplane, struck the sign for the 'P/L/B' intersection, and traveled about 50 feet past the sign, into the runway 1/19 safety area. Taxiway 'B' contained center line lighting only, and all of the taxiway center line lights were functional. Examination of the wreckage did not revealed any pre-impact abnormalities. A check of the airplane's landing/taxi light revealed it worked normally. The pilot reported about 210 hours of total flight experience, of which about 65 hours were in make and model. The pilot stated he possessed a total of about 10 hours of night flight experience and had not flown at night since 1973.
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: 218 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sparta Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 1B1 Hudson NY at 10:10 pm
- Destination: TEB
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from TEB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC98LA189.