Cessna 152 accident near Marlboro, New Jersey, January 12, 1997
On January 12, 1997 at about 3:21 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48693, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marlboro, New Jersey (Marlboro airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's failure to perform a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1997 · about 3:21 pm local time
- Place
- Marlboro, New Jersey · Marlboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48693 · no longer on the register · serial 15283362
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot landed hard and the nose gear collapsed. According to a witness the airplane touched down and bounced 10 feet into the air. The aircraft then pitched down and hit on the nose, and bounced again, but only about 5 feet up this time. The aircraft again pitched nose down and hit the pavement. On this contact, the nose gear broke off, and the (airplane) skidded on its nose for about 50 feet and came to rest. According to the student pilot, his approach speed was 65 knots, and about 20 feet above the runway, he reduced power to idle. The aircraft subsequently 'settled fast' and bounced. He unsuccessfully tried to recover, indicating that he 'got rigid on (the) control wheel position.' The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by doing a go-around.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,792 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 15, 1996; 82 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: 2N8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,156 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
Other NTSB records under N48693 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.