Cessna 152 accident near Windsor Locks, Connecticut, March 30, 1998
On March 30, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5357H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windsor Locks, Connecticut (Bradley International Apt airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's inattention during taxi, which resulted in the collision with a fuel truck.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Windsor Locks, Connecticut · Bradley International Apt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5357H · registry record · serial 15204892
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated student pilot on his second solo cross country flight landed at the unfamiliar airport and requested progressive taxi instructions. The student piloted turned onto the taxiway leading to the general aviation area. A linesman and another airplane waited for the student pilot to pass at the throat of the ramp. The linesman motioned for the student pilot to taxi straight ahead with a left turn in front of parked airplanes. After completion of the left turn, the linesman pointed the student pilot to a second linesman who was positioned at the student pilot's 11 o'clock. With his back pointed towards the student pilot and looking over his right shoulder, the second linesman reported that his left hand was up in the air and his right hand was pointing to the ground in front. The student pilot stated that he thought that the linesman wanted him to taxi straight ahead and to stop adjacent to two parked airplanes. While taxiing straight ahead and focused on the second linesman, the student pilot did not see the fuel truck parked to his right. The wing tip struck the mirror of the fuel truck, cracking the right rear spar.
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: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCH Schenectady NY at 5:46 pm
- Destination: BDL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from BDL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.