Cessna 152 accident near Farmingdale, New Jersey, April 6, 2015
On April 6, 2015 at about 6:20 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 152, registered N179BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Farmingdale, New Jersey (Monmouth Executive 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2015 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New Jersey · Monmouth Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 NO SERIES, built 1977 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N179BA · no longer on the register · serial 15279715
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated in a document to the Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector that he flared too high, the airplane landed hard, and started to porpoise. On the third porpoise the airplane subsequently nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. After multiple requests, the pilot did not return the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report as requested.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 31, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,224 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 928 hours total
- Operator: Eagles View Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Destination: BLM Farmingdale NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 7,371 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from BLM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 26, 2015. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement (Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1 – View of Firewall Damage (Photo Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 2 – View from Front of Airplane (Photo Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
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.