Cessna 152 accident near Oxford, Connecticut, September 26, 1998
On September 26, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89644, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Connecticut (Waterbury-Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Connecticut · Waterbury-Oxford
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89644 · no longer on the register · serial 15282812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed three takeoffs and landings. The pilot said that during the fourth landing attempt he encountered a gust of wind. The pilot stated he overcorrected during his attempt to complete the landing. The airplane bounced three times and landed hard on the nose gear. The pilot said, 'This was my fault. Instead of correcting, I tried to put the airplane down as quickly as possible.' The pilot reported 85 hours of total flight experience, 20 hours of which were in make and model.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1998; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXC at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from OXC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.