Cessna 152 accident near West Nyack, New York, October 22, 1990
On October 22, 1990 at about 8:28 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N36944, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Nyack, New York. It was an aerial observation 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 IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING AND COLLISION WITH A FENCE. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WEATHER CONDITIONS SUITABLE TO FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1990 · about 8:28 pm local time
- Place
- West Nyack, New York
- 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
- N36944 · no longer on the register · serial 15282108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTING SURFACE VEHICLE TRAFFIC, WHEN ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH...DECLARED AN EMERGENCY...LANDED IN AN ABANDONED DRIVE IN...HIT A CYCLONE FENCE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE'. THE LOCAL WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED A TEMPERATURE OF 64 DEGREES F AND A DEW POINT OF 60 DEGREES F. WHEN THESE FIGURES ARE PLOTTED ON A GRAPH WHICH DEPICTS THE PROBABILITY OF ENCOUNTERING CARBURETOR ICING, IT SHOWS A PROBABILITY OF 'SERIOUS ICING AT CRUISE POWER'.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mac Dan Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 8:08 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Observation at 8:45 pm from HPN, 9 miles away
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.
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.