- Date
- January 15, 2026, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fairfield, NJ · Tree on Approach to Runway 28 @ CDW
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N59WMAmerican General Acft AG5B
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 7, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260115002379A
- Case key
- 202323
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate glide path during the landing approach in gusting wind conditions, resulting in an impact with trees prior to the runway.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported being on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern when a 16 to 24-knot tailwind pushed the airplane further from the runway than he had planned. While on final approach, the airplane was low with a headwind. Following a momentary wind shift, the airplane lost more altitude and it struck the tops of trees resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. Despite the impact, the pilot was able to clear the trees and land safely on the runway. The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59WM
- Reported as
- American General Acft AG5B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10037
- Built
- 1991
- Airframe hours
- 4,140
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hudson River Wings LLC
- Registered owner
- Hudson River Wings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 18, 2025 · 116 hours before
- Departed
- N07 · Lincoln Park, NJ
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- CDW · Essex County, runway 28, 3,719 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 29, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 257 total · 90 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.52 inHg
- Observed at
- CDW
- METAR
- METAR KCDW 152153Z 28012G22KT 10SM CLR M01/M13 A2952 RMK AO2 SLP001 T10111133
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.