NTSB NYC05CA082 — 2005-05-11 · Caldwell, New Jersey, United States

Current FAA registration · N64815

Make / Model: CESSNA 172P
Year of manufacture: 1982 · 23 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O-320-D2J (160 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19820222
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A8858C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N64815 Cessna 172P None

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing.

Factual narrative

On May 11, 2005, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N64815, was substantially damaged while landing at the Essex County Airport (CDW), Caldwell, New Jersey. The student pilot was not injured, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot reported that the airplane was "high" during landing, and as he crossed the threshold of runway 22, he "cut the power." The student pilot then flared the airplane, and it bounced 2-3 times on the runway, collapsing the nose gear. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the nose section of the airplane. The student pilot reported that the airplane was "high" during landing, and as he crossed the threshold of the runway, he "cut the power." The student pilot then flared the airplane, and it bounced 2-3 times on the runway, collapsing the nose gear. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2005_NYC05CA082.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.