Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 152 near Hornell, NY — 2025-08-01

Investigation ongoingWPR25FA233
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Date
2025-08-01
Location
Hornell, NY, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 152
Registration
N6125B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On August 1, 2025, about 1859 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N6125B was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Hornell, New York. The student pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of ADS-B flight track data showed the airplane departed Ledgedale Airpark (7G0), Brockport, New York, on a southerly heading. The airplane entered an area of limited ADS-B coverage about 40 nm south of the departure airport and 12 nm north of the accident site in Hornell, New York. A witness, located east of the accident site, provided video footage of the airplane circling the accident area. During the recording, the airplane entered a descending right turn and impacted terrain. Throughout the recorded video, the sound of the engine could be heard. Additional witnesses provided similar accounts of the airplane circling the area at low altitude, with the engine operating before the accident. The accident site was located in an area of densely wooded terrain, on the edge of an embankment at an elevation of 1,287 ft mean sea level (msl). The first identified point of impact with trees was with a group of trees about 120 ft tall. The wreckage debris path extended from the initial impact point about 250 ft on a magnetic heading of about 250°. Throughout the debris path, both left and right wings, empennage were observed. The airplane came to rest on its right side between two trees on a heading of about 210° magnetic. All primary flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of control in flight · Maneuvering-low-alt flying
  • Loss of Control While Maneuvering
View NTSB preliminary report

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