Cessna 172N N3353E

Summary

On 26 December 1989 at about 03:45 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N3353E, operated by Darryl Nitke, was involved in an accident near Washington Twp, New Jersey, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 December 1989 at 03:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Washington Twp, New Jersey, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N3353E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Darryl Nitke

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Teterboro → Norfolk

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC90FA041

3 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1000 FEET AND FLYING OVER A DARK WOODED AREA, THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID SOME REPORTED SNOW SHOWERS. THE PILOT HAD REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES THROUGH THE ARSA, BUT WAS NEVER PICKED UP ON RADAR. A WITNESS HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLY VERY LOW OVER HIS HOME, LOCATED ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE AIRPLANE HIT TREES AND THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 80 HOURS OF TOTAL FLYING TIME AND NEGLIGIBLE NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED ABOUT SNOW AND ICING CONDITION FOR HIS INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ON 12/27/89 IN A WOODED AREA NORTH OF ATLANTIC CITY, NJ.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.