Cessna 152 accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut, September 29, 1987
On September 29, 1987 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N93193, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeport, Connecticut (Bridgeport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 29, 1987 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Connecticut · Bridgeport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N93193 · no longer on the register · serial 15285437
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF CESSNA 152, N93193, TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF WITH THE INTENTIONS OF USING RWY 24. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A NAVY H-53 (SIKORSKY) HELICOPTER ENTERED A PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 24. WITH THE HEAVY HELICOPTER APCHG TO LAND, THE CESSNA PLT ACCEPTED AN OFFER TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 29, BUT WAS TOLD TO REMAIN CLEAR OF RWY 24. THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO TAKEOFF ON RWY 29, THEN WAS GIVEN AN EXPLANATION THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A 3 MIN HOLD FOR WAKE TURBULENCE BEHIND THE HELICOPTER. THE CESSNA PLT TAXIED TO A TAKEOFF PSN ON RWY 29 BY PROCEEDING ONTO THE EDGE OF RWY 24, THEN TURNING ONTO RWY 29 AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 2 RWYS. THE CESSNA PLT STOPPED & HELD ON RWY 29, WITH THE TAIL OF HIS ACFT NEAR THE RIGHT EDGE OF RWY 24. THE H-53 WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 24, BEHIND THE CESSNA. THE CESSNA PLT CONTD TO HOLD NEAR RWY 24. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CESSNA WAS OVERTURNED BY DOWNWASH FROM THE HEAVY HELICOPTER.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 99 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,295 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1987; 31 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: BDR at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,662 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N93193 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.