Cessna 152 accident near Duanesburg, New York, February 12, 1999
On February 12, 1999 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89097, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duanesburg, New York (Duanesburg Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor pilot's improper use of carburetor heat which resulted in carburetor ice, and a loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the instructor pilot's failure to initiate the simulated engine failure from a point where a successful forced landing could be completed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1999 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Duanesburg, New York · Duanesburg Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89097 · no longer on the register · serial 15282629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor and student preflighted the airplane, completed the engine run-up checks, and departed. Then, in the vicinity of a local airport, at 2,500 feet msl, the instructor initiated the first of two simulated engine failures. The student maneuvered the airplane and executed a touched-and-go. Then, while on downwind, and at 2,000 feet msl, the instructor initiated the second simulated engine failure. The student insured the carburetor heat was on, simulated checking the throttle, and began maneuvering for the runway. At 400 feet agl, the instructor realized they would not make the runway. He advised the student, and advanced the throttle, but the engine did not respond. He was able to insure that the throttle and fuel selector were properly set before the airplane stuck a tree, stalled, and impacted the ground. There was no evidence of a pre impact failure that would have caused a loss of power. Weather conditions were conducive for serious icing with cruise or climb power, and the FAA recommended, ' that carburetor heat be applied before reducing power and that partial power be used during letdown to prevent icing....'
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: 5,500 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,300 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,001 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1998; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4B1 Duanesburg NY at 2:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,600 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from ALB, 17 miles away
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.