Cessna 150M and Cessna 172M mid-air collision near Fairfield, New Jersey, August 29, 1982
On August 29, 1982 at about 1:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150M (N9121U) and Cessna 172M (N8998V), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex County airport). 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 29, 1982 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fairfield, New Jersey · Essex County
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9121U · registry record · serial 15078072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8998V · no longer on the register · serial 17264353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150M final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE C-172 HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR AN OVERHEAD APPROACH TO ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND. THE PLT REPORTED OVERHEAD & ROGERED THAT HE SAW THE TRAFFIC COMING UP ON MIDFIELD. HE ALSO OKAYED THAT HE COULD FOLLOW THE TRAFFIC. HE WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO START HIS RIGHT TURN. THE TOWER THEN TRANSMITTED TO THE C-150 ON DOWNWIND "ON THE DOWNWIND WATCH THE TRAFFIC COMING IN FROM OVERHEAD SIR." THE C-150 & C-172 THEN COLLIDED. THE C-150 HAD BEEN PERFORMING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS. AFTER HIS THIRD DEPARTURE HE CLIMBED TO 700 FT, MADE A RIGHT 90 DEG TURN & CLIMBED TO 1,200 FT. THE ACFT WAS LEVELED & A RIGHT 90 DEG TURN TO DOWNWIND WAS MADE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE ACFT ROLLED OUT. PUBLISHED TOWER CLIMB-OUT INSTRUCTIONS FOR RWY 22 IS A 20 DEG RIGHT TURN AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, CLIMB TO 1,000 FT MSL BEFORE ANY FURTHER TURNS. OF THE THREE CONTROLLERS IN THE TOWER, TWO WERE NOT FACILITY-RATED & WERE IN TRAINING. THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS CONGESTED WITH ACFT IN CLOSED PATTERNS.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE C-172 HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR AN OVERHEAD APPROACH TO ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND. THE PLT REPORTED OVERHEAD & ROGERED THAT HE SAW THE TRAFFIC COMING UP ON MIDFIELD. HE ALSO OKAYED THAT HE COULD FOLLOW THE TRAFFIC. HE WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO START HIS RIGHT TURN. THE TOWER THEN TRANSMITTED TO THE C-150 ON DOWNWIND" ON THE DOWNWIND WATCH THE TRAFFIC COMING IN FROM OVERHEAD SIR." THE C-150 & C-172 THEN COLLIDED. THE C-150 HAD BEEN PERFORMING TOUCH & GO LANDINGS. AFTER HIS THIRD DEPARTURE HE CLIMBED TO 700 FT, MADE A RIGHT 90 DEG TURN & CLIMBED TO 1,200 FT. THE ACFT WAS LEVELED & A RIGHT 90 DEG TURN TO DOWNWIND WAS MADE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE ACFT ROLLED OUT. PUBLISHED TOWER CLIMB-OUT INSTRUCTIONS FOR RWY 22 IS A 20 DEG RIGHT TURN AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, CLIMB TO 1,000 FT MSL BEFORE ANY FURTHER TURNS. OF THE THREE CONTROLLERS IN THE TOWER, TWO WERE NOT FACILITY-RATED & WERE IN TRAINING. THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS CONGESTED WITH ACFT IN CLOSED PATTERNS.
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 for the Cessna 150M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 818 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Liberty Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Fairfield NJ at 8:30 am
- Destination: CDW Fairfield NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 am from CDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 411 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 268 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,040 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Aviation Company
The flight
- Departed from: Teterboro NJ
- Destination: Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
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.