Cessna 152 accident near Danbury, Connecticut, August 5, 2002
On August 5, 2002 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89044, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Muni 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 student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an inadvertent stall during a simulated forced landing. A factor was the rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2002 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89044 · no longer on the register · serial 15282608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was in the traffic pattern practicing touch and go landings, when the flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle to simulate an engine failure. While the student pilot was maneuvering, the airplane "stalled to the left." The CFI assumed control of the airplane; however, the airplane struck trees about 1/2 mile from the runway. The CFI added that he did not hear the airplane's stall warning horn annunciate at any time during the accident sequence. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane's stall warning system functioned normally during post accident testing. The terrain at the accident site sloped upward.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 572 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 479 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,261 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 17, 2002; 37 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: DXR Danbury CT at 11:45 pm
- Destination: DXR Danbury CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,422 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from DXR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.