Cessna 152 accident near Bennington, Vermont, January 12, 1986
On January 12, 1986 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49653, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bennington, Vermont (Bennington St. 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 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 12, 1986 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bennington, Vermont · Bennington St.
- 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
- N49653 · no longer on the register · serial 15283490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER FLYING IN THE BENNINGTON, VERMONT AREA FOR AWHILE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND FOR REFUELING. ON LANDING THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, BEFORE PILOT COULD CORRECT FOR THE WIND. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: 43 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1985; 64 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: 9N3 Factoryville PA at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 5B5 Bennington VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 17 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N49653 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.