Cessna 152 II accident near Milford, New Hampshire, October 5, 1992
On October 5, 1992 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152 II, registered N301DW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milford, New Hampshire. It was an instructional 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 INSTRUCTOR PILOTS IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE FORCED LANDING AREA. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S DECISION TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE DURING A 'SIMULATED' ENGINE FAILURE .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 1992 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Milford, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 II · all 152 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N301DW · registry record · serial 15285319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURES, FROM 4800 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT PULLED THE MIXTURE LEVER TO THE CUT OFF POSITION CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND STUDENT PILOT CONTINUED WITH 'SIMULATED' ENGINE OUT PROCEDURES UNTIL 2500 FEET WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTED RESTARTS, THE INSTRUCTOR MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE ORIGINAL SIMULATED FORCED LANDING AREA. HOWEVER, HE OVER SHOT THE FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES. THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED IT WAS CAPABLE OF NORMAL OPERATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,741 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,642 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,084 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 1992; 65 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: ASH Nashua NH at 3:00 pm
- Destination: ASH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from ASH, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.