Accident Overview
On August 1, 2025, at approximately 1859 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, registration N6125B, was destroyed in an accident near Hornell, New York. The student pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Track and Witness Accounts
ADS-B flight track data indicated that the airplane departed Ledgedale Airpark (7G0) in Brockport, New York, on a southerly heading. It entered an area of limited ADS-B coverage about 40 nautical miles south of the departure airport and 12 nautical miles north of the accident site.
A witness located east of the accident site provided video footage showing the airplane circling the area. During the recording, the airplane entered a descending right turn and impacted terrain. The sound of the engine was audible throughout the video. Other witnesses reported similar observations of the airplane circling at low altitude with the engine operating before the accident.
Accident Site Conditions
The accident site was situated in densely wooded terrain, on the edge of an embankment at an elevation of 1,287 feet mean sea level. The first identified point of impact was with a group of trees approximately 120 feet tall. The wreckage debris path extended about 250 feet from the initial impact point on a magnetic heading of approximately 250°.
Wreckage Examination
Throughout the debris path, components including the left wing, right wing, and empennage were observed. The airplane came to rest on its right side between two trees on a magnetic heading of about 210°. All primary flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site.