Cessna 152 accident near Caldwell, New Jersey, March 12, 1991
On March 12, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69095, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caldwell, New Jersey (Essex County 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, New Jersey · Essex County
- 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
- N69095 · no longer on the register · serial 15282480
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON HIS 1ST APCH TO LAND AT NIGHT, THE PLT HAD PLANNED A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, BUT HAD DIFFICULTY BLEEDING OFF AIRSPEED, SO HE DECIDED TO GO AROUND. ON THE 2ND APCH, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP LANDING. HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. A POST-ACDNT EXAM DISCLOSED NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER THE FLT CONTROLS OR THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR.
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: 134 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 68 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (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-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDW at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,553 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 10°F (-12°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.