Cessna 152 and Piper PA-24-250 mid-air collision near E. Farmingdale, New York, April 9, 1994
On April 9, 1994 at about 3:37 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N757KN) and Piper PA-24-250 (N5231P), were involved in a mid-air collision near E. Farmingdale, New York (Republic airport). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE LOCAL TOWER CONTROLLER TO ADEQUATELY CONTROL THE ARRIVAL OF THE AIRPLANES, AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PIPER PA-24 PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S IMPROPER PHRASEOLOGY IN SEQUENCING THE AIRPLANES.
FAILURE OF THE LOCAL TOWER CONTROLLER TO ADEQUATELY CONTROL THE ARRIVAL OF THE AIRPLANES, AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PIPER PA-24 PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S IMPROPER PHRASEOLOGY IN SEQUENCING THE AIRPLANES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1994 · about 3:37 pm local time
- Place
- E. Farmingdale, New York · Republic · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757KN · no longer on the register · serial 15279802
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5231P · no longer on the register · serial 24-261
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & DUAL STUDENT WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN A CESSNA 152, N757KN, WHILE A PRIVATE PILOT & PASSENGER (WITH A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE) WERE ARRIVING IN A PIPER PA-24, N5231P. THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED IN MIDAIR ABOUT 1 MILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 19. BOTH FLIGHTS WERE IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL TOWER (ATCT). THE CESSNA 152 WAS IN A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN, WHILE THE PA-24 WAS IN A LEFT PATTERN. AFTER THE PA-24 PILOT REPORTED ENTERING DOWNWIND, ATCT TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD BE TOLD WHEN TO TURN BASE LEG. ATCT SUBSEQUENTLY SEQUENCED THE PA-24 TO LAND BEHIND THE CESSNA 152; HOWEVER, THE PA-24 PILOT WAS NOT ISSUED A SEQUENCE NUMBER AS REQUIRED BY FAA PROCEDURES. A CESSNA 210 (THAT THE PA-24 WAS INITIALLY FOLLOWING) WAS IN A LEFT PATTERN, BUT SEQUENCED AHEAD OF THE CESSNA 152. WHILE ON DOWNWIND ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PA-24 PILOT WAS ADVISED OF 'CESSNA' TRAFFIC ON FINAL. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE TRAFFIC IN SIGHT & THAT HE WAS LOOKING. ATCT THEN INSTRUCTED THE PA-24 PILOT TO TURN BASE LEG, WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THE PA-24 PILOT. THE LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THE CESSNA 152 PILOT OCCURRED AFTER THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING BY ATCT. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THE PA-24 OVERTOOK THE CESSNA 152 ON FINAL APPROACH. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE COLLISION INVOLVED THE BOTTOM OF THE PA-24 & THE TOP OF THE CESSNA 152.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-24-250 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) & DUAL STUDENT WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IN A CESSNA 152, N757KN, WHILE A PRIVATE PILOT & PASSENGER (WITH A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE) WERE ARRIVING IN A PIPER PA-24, N5231P. THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED IN MIDAIR ABOUT 1 MILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 19. BOTH FLIGHTS WERE IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL TOWER (ATCT). THE CESSNA 152 WAS IN A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN, WHILE THE PA-24 WAS IN A LEFT PATTERN. AFTER THE PA-24 PILOT REPORTED ENTERING DOWNWIND, ATCT TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD BE TOLD WHEN TO TURN BASE LEG. ATCT SUBSEQUENTLY SEQUENCED THE PA-24 TO LAND BEHIND THE CESSNA 152; HOWEVER, THE PA-24 PILOT WAS NOT ISSUED A SEQUENCE NUMBER AS REQUIRED BY FAA PROCEDURES. A CESSNA 210 (THAT THE PA-24 WAS INITIALLY FOLLOWING) WAS IN A LEFT PATTERN, BUT SEQUENCED AHEAD OF THE CESSNA 152. WHILE ON DOWNWIND ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PA-24 PILOT WAS ADVISED OF 'CESSNA' TRAFFIC ON FINAL. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE TRAFFIC IN SIGHT & THAT HE WAS LOOKING. ATCT THEN INSTRUCTED THE PA-24 PILOT TO TURN BASE LEG, WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THE PA-24 PILOT. THE LAST COMMUNICATION WITH THE CESSNA 152 PILOT OCCURRED AFTER THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING BY ATCT. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THE PA-24 OVERTOOK THE CESSNA 152 ON FINAL APPROACH. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE COLLISION INVOLVED THE BOTTOM OF THE PA-24 & THE TOP OF THE CESSNA 152.
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 for the Cessna 152 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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 225 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,409 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 23, 1993; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Nassau Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FRG at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,515 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:42 pm from FRG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-24-250 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,007 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HTO East Hampton NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,515 ft by 150 ft
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.