Cessna 152 accident near Danbury, Connecticut, April 10, 2023
On April 10, 2023 at about 9:59 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 152, registered N757YM, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inadequate preflight fuel planning and oversight of the preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2023 · about 9:59 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 NO SERIES, built 1977 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757YM · registry record · serial 15280110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was fueled earlier in the day then flown on 3 separate flights totaling 3.1 hours. Before the accident flight, the student pilot used a fuel dipstick to check the fuel level in each tank but she did not recall the fuel quantity in either tank and the flight instructor did not verify the fuel quantity. After departure, with a reported 15 gallons of fuel on board, the student performed pattern work, airwork, and more traffic pattern work. After the 3rd go-around, while on the downwind leg abeam the landing spot, the flight instructor took over the controls to demonstrate a landing. After turning onto base leg, the engine began to lose power. He pitched then nose down and reported the engine started and for about 2 seconds before losing power completely. He noted there were 2 high towers near the end of the runway and turned toward a grass field behind him and performed a steep spiral to lose altitude. The airplane slowed, and he heard the stall warning horn. He moved the flap selector from 10° to 20° then braced for impact. The airplane impacted a shed and came to rest adjacent to a house. Postaccident examination of the engine and its systems revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The airframe fuel strainer was found to contain about 1 ounce of fuel and the carburetor bowl was empty. The right wing contained about 1.7 gallons of fuel and the left fuel tank was empty. The usable fuel capacity of the airplane was 24.5 gallons. The airplane was flown 5.3 hours since the fuel tanks were last filled. The published fuel consumption rate for the engine was listed as being between 5.8 gallons per hour (gph) and 9.5 gph depending on power settings used. Given the fuel capacity of the airplane and the amount of time the airplane was flown after being fueled, it is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of fuel exhaustion.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Instructor/check pilot
Dual student
- Flight time: 8 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 206 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 14, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,833.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 2023; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (M) (piston); 6,742 hours total
- Operator: Darcy Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 8:01 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KDXR, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDXR 102153Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 19/M10 A3030 RMK AO2 SLP262 T01891100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.