Cessna 152 accident near Wall, New Jersey, April 21, 1999
On April 21, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48005, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wall, New Jersey (Allaire Airport). 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 in command's improper preflight preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and 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
- April 21, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wall, New Jersey · Allaire Airport
- 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
- N48005 · no longer on the register · serial 15283266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated that during the preflight he visually checked the fuel tanks, and confirmed that reading with the cockpit gauges. The flight departed, and after about 30 minutes of flight, the engine lost power. The CFI turned the airplane towards an open grass field, and executed a forced landing. Examination of the wreckage revealed no signs of fuel stains on the airframe or engine. Maintenance personnel removed a jar containing 4 ounces of clear liquid that had a blue tint similar to aviation low lead fuel, from the fuel strainer. The sample did not reveal any signs of water. No fuel was observed in the wing tanks when the wings were removed from the airframe. A review of fuel records indicated that the airplane had been fueled on April 19, 1999, with 12.4 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gasoline, filling the 26-gallon fuel tanks to capacity. A review of invoices provided by the operator of the airplane indicated that the airplane had been flown a total of 4 times prior to the accident flight. The total Hobbs meter flight time for the flights was 5.5 hours.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,680 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagles View Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Farmingdale NJ at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,300 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from BLM, 2 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.
Other NTSB records under N48005 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.