Cessna 150L accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, January 31, 1982
On January 31, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N17065, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Essex County Airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Essex County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17065 · registry record · serial 15073615
- 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 AT THE CONTROLS DURING A LANDING ON RUNWAY 04. THE WIND WAS FROM 330 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE PLANE WAS SLIPPED TO THE LEFT ON SHORT FINAL, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RIGHT WHEEL STRUCK A SNOWBANK. THE STUDENT APPLIED FULL POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND STRUCK ANOTHER SNOWBANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL BUT WAS TOO LATE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SNOW AND OVERTURNED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 404 hours in all; 372 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 276 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,924 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Teterboro NY at 11:30 am
- Destination: Caldwell NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,550 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.