What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approx. 17:10 on November 26, 2000, while in cruise flight in VFR airspace, a Cessna 150 a/c N3588J, collided with another Cessna 172 a/c, N6521D. A/c N3588J crashed in the 27500 block of the Katy freeway (interstate 10E) killing the pilot and sole occupant. A/c N6521D was able to maintain flight and landed approx. 10 nautical miles to the NE at west houston airport. A/c N3588J was completely destroyed. A/c N6521D received substantial damage to the right wing and right mail landing gear. There were two occupants on board a/c N6521D, no injuries were reported. The pilots certificate and flight log were never located so an actual number could not be reached regarding total time, hours last 90 days and total hours. (.4) the Cessna 172 was flying level at 2,000 feet, eastbound, when the pilot noticed the Cessna 150 approaching from her left side at a 90-degree angle (from the north). She reported that the Cessna 150 was at an altitude slightly below her airplane's altitude. She entered a climbing right turn and, subsequently, the airplanes collided. The Cessna 172'S right main landing gear separated and its right wing and aileron were structurally damaged. The Cessna 172 was able to sustain flight and landed at an airport located approximately 10 miles from the collision area. The Cessna 150 entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted the ground. Two witnesses reported sun glare from the west at the time of the accident. One pilot witness, who departed near the same time as the Cessna 150, and flew the same route as the Cessna 150, stated that the sun was "blinding from [his] 2:00 o'clock to 4:00 o'clock position." He added that the visibility to the south and east was 15 miles or greater and the sky was clear of clouds. Another pilot witness, who departed from the airport the Cessna 172 landed at about 10 minutes before the accident, and was traveling on a northwesterly heading, reported that he observed a "very strong sun glare" and it "seemed impossible to see within plus or minus 15 degrees from the sun's bearing." The witness added that a cold front had passed through the area the day before the accident, and the sky was clear of clouds and haze.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROX. 17:10 ON NOVEMBER 26, 2000, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT IN VFR AIRSPACE, A CESSNA 150 A/C N3588J, COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CESSNA 172 A/C, N6521D. A/C N3588J CRASHED IN THE 27500 BLOCK OF THE KATY FREEWAY (INTERSTATE 10E) KILLING THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT. A/C N6521D WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND LANDED APPROX. 10 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE NE AT WEST HOUSTON AIRPORT. A/C N3588J WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A/C N6521D RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIL LANDING GEAR. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD A/C N6521D, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE PILOTS CERTIFICATE AND FLIGHT LOG WERE NEVER LOCATED SO AN ACTUAL NUMBER COULD NOT BE REACHED REGARDING TOTAL TIME, HOURS LAST 90 DAYS AND TOTAL HOURS. (.4) THE CESSNA 172 WAS FLYING LEVEL AT 2,000 FEET, EASTBOUND, WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE CESSNA 150 APPROACHING FROM HER LEFT SIDE AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE (FROM THE NORTH). SHE REPORTED THAT THE CESSNA 150 WAS AT AN ALTITUDE SLIGHTLY BELOW HER AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE. SHE ENTERED A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANES COLLIDED. THE CESSNA 172'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED AND ITS RIGHT WING AND AILERON WERE STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED. THE CESSNA 172 WAS ABLE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT AND LANDED AT AN AIRPORT LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM THE COLLISION AREA. THE CESSNA 150 ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. TWO WITNESSES REPORTED SUN GLARE FROM THE WEST AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE PILOT WITNESS, WHO DEPARTED NEAR THE SAME TIME AS THE CESSNA 150, AND FLEW THE SAME ROUTE AS THE CESSNA 150, STATED THAT THE SUN WAS "BLINDING FROM [HIS] 2:00 O'CLOCK TO 4:00 O'CLOCK POSITION." HE ADDED THAT THE VISIBILITY TO THE SOUTH AND EAST WAS 15 MILES OR GREATER AND THE SKY WAS CLEAR OF CLOUDS. ANOTHER PILOT WITNESS, WHO DEPARTED FROM THE AIRPORT THE CESSNA 172 LANDED AT ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS TRAVELING ON A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING, REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED A "VERY STRONG SUN GLARE" AND IT "SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WITHIN PLUS OR MINUS 15 DEGREES FROM THE SUN'S BEARING." THE WITNESS ADDED THAT A COLD FRONT HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AREA THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND THE SKY WAS CLEAR OF CLOUDS AND HAZE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.