Cessna 152 accident near North Bergen, New Jersey, February 25, 1995
On February 25, 1995 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6291P, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Bergen, New Jersey. 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 pilot's inadequate in-flight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1995 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- North Bergen, New Jersey
- 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
- N6291P · no longer on the register · serial 84995
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR WERE AT CRUISE ON A TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE INSTRUCTOR HEADED TOWARD A FIELD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR, THEY WERE TOO FAST TO MAKE THE FIELD, SO THEY HEADED FOR THE ROAD NEXT TO IT. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TRAFFIC LIGHT AS HE TRIED TO ALIGN WITH THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED ACROSS THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 150 FEET BEFORE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE 'ON' POSITION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND ABOUT 3 TO 4 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 960 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 847 as pilot in command; 670 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1995; 80 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: DXR Danbury CT at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.