Cessna 152 accident near Belmont, New Hampshire, February 7, 1995
On February 7, 1995 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6182P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belmont, New Hampshire. It was a business 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 pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane that failed to detect the ice clogged breather which resulted in the loss of oil and a subsequent emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1995 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Belmont, New Hampshire
- 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
- N6182P · registry record · serial 15284983
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT MORNING THE TEMPERATURE WAS -4 DEGREES F. THE AIRPLANE WAS KEPT IN AN UNHEATED HANGER AND WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN E-Z HEAT AIRPLANE ENGINE HEATER SYSTEM. ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF DURING THE CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 FEET HE NOTICED A HIGH OIL PRESSURE INDICATION, OIL SPRAYING ON THE WINDSHIELD AND SMOKE ENTERING THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT STATED, 'NOT KNOWING THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND THINKING I MAY HAVE AN ENGINE FIRE I CHOSE TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING.' DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SNOW COVERED ROCK AND NOSED OVER. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED OIL CAME OUT THROUGH THE NOSE SEAL AND THE CRANKCASE BREATHER LINE WAS PLUGGED WITH ICE. FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 91-13C, DATED JULY 7, 1979 STATED '...SPECIAL CARE IS RECOMMENDED DURING THE PREFLIGHT TO ASSURE THAT THE BREATHER SYSTEM IS FREE OF ICE.'
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 735 hours in all; 312 in this make and model; 181 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 594 as pilot in command; 283 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Bright, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 2:30 pm
- Destination: CON Concord NH
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -4°F (-20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.