Cessna 150M accident near Readington, New Jersey, January 25, 1996
On January 25, 1996 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N9153U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Readington, New Jersey (Solberg-Hunterdon airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's unapproved landing at a second destination during his first solo cross-country, and his inadequate compensation for a cross wind, which resulted in the airplane veering off of the runway and the subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 1996 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Readington, New Jersey · Solberg-Hunterdon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9153U · no longer on the register · serial 15078104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot (SP) departed on his first solo cross-country flight. The planned flight was to fly to another airport and return to the departure airport. After a 1 hour flight, the SP completed a landing at the intermediate destination airport, and departed on the return leg. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the SP attempted a landing at a second airport, 'for personal urgent needs.' The SP followed two other airplanes and landed on runway 22. During the landing flare the airplane ballooned, veered off the runway, and nosed over. The investigation revealed that the SP was not authorized to land at the second airport. Winds reported at the intermediate destination, 35 miles west of the second airport, were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15. The student pilot had accumulated about 46 hours of total flying experience, of which 17 hours were solo, all in this make and model airplane.
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: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 29, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 2N8 Marlboro NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:56 pm from ABE, 35 miles away
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.