Cessna 152 accident near Fire Island, New York, January 28, 1989
On January 28, 1989 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25420, was destroyed in an accident near Fire Island, New York. 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 IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF AN UNAUTHORIZED SEALANT USED ON THE OIL RESSURE SCREEN HOUSING GASKET CONTAMINATED THE OIL AND RESTRICTED THE FLOW OF OIL THROUGH THE MAIN BEARINGS CAUSING OIL STARVATION AND CONNECTING ROD, BEARING, AND BOLT FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1989 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fire Island, New York
- 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
- N25420 · no longer on the register · serial 15280646
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 2,000 FEET OVER FIRE ISLAND BEACH WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. DURING A LANDING ON A SANDY BEACH, THE GEAR SANK INTO THE SAND AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. A SEALANT USED ON THE OIL PRESSURE SCREEN HOUSING GASKET WAS FOUND IN THE MAIN BEARING OIL SUPPLY HOLES. THE NUMBER ONE CONNECTING ROD, BEARING, AND BOLT FAILED. METAL WAS FOUND IN THE OIL, SUCTION SCREEN, AND OIL PRESSURE SCREEN HOUSING. TEXTRON LYCOMING DOES NOT HAVE A PROCEDURE FOR THE USE OF A SEALANT ON ANY GASKETS DURING THE ASSEMBLY OF ENGINES. 100 HOUR AND ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED 1.7 HOURS PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. SPECTROMETRIC OIL ANALYSIS WAS NORMAL AND THE OIL SCREEN WAS CLEANED DURING THE INSPECTIONS.
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: 128 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 63 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,324 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 4:40 pm
- Destination: FOK Westhampton Bch NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.