Cessna 172N accident near Berlin, New Jersey, February 26, 1999
On February 26, 1999 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737MJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Berlin, New Jersey (Camden County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command's failure to obtain the proper touch down point on the runway, and failure to perform a go-around. A factor relating to the accident was a sudden wind shift.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1999 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Berlin, New Jersey · Camden County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737MJ · registry record · serial 69528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing, the certified flight instructor noticed an increase in ground speed. The airplane began to float and touched down with 660 feet of runway remaining. Maximum braking was applied and the flaps were retracted to the 10 degree position. The airplane ran off the end of the runway, striking a fence before coming to rest on a railroad track.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,380 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 15,600 as pilot in command; 2,280 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,735 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ken Marson Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: N87 Robbinsville NJ at 2:20 pm
- Destination: 19N
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,100 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from PHL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.