Cessna 152 accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey, December 2, 2000
On December 2, 2000 at about 4:32 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757RR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cross Keys, New Jersey (Cross Keys 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 overstress separation of the control yoke from the control column.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2000 · about 4:32 pm local time
- Place
- Cross Keys, New Jersey · Cross Keys Airport
- 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
- N757RR · registry record · serial 15279948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lifted off the runway at about 70 knots, 3/4 down the length of the 3,500-foot long runway. The pilot/owner was flying the airplane from the right seat. As the airplane reached an altitude of 20-25 feet, the right control wheel broke off in the pilot's hands. The pilot reduced the power to idle, the airplane rolled to the right, impacted a tree, and came to rest inverted on the ground. Examination of the fracture surface on the shaft of the control wheel revealed features typical of an overstress separation. No evidence of fatigue cracking or other type of preexisting cracking or deterioration was noted. The upper portion of the fracture intersected the upper hole approximately at a 45-degree angle, indicative of torsional loading of the shaft (with the handle portion of the wheel turning to the left - counterclockwise) as the shaft fractured. According to the pilot/owner and the pilot-rated passenger (seated in the left seat), the control lock had been installed in the control wheel, and was removed during the preflight.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 5,618 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 5,513 as pilot in command; 3,094 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 2000; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 17N at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from PHL, 14 miles away
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.