- Date
- February 24, 1996, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arlington, TN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19960224002569A19960224002629A
- Case key
- 3697
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 failure of the pilot of the Cessna 150, N63434, to see and avoid the Cessna 152, N151FC.
the failure of the pilot of the Cessna 150, N63434, to see and avoid the Cessna 152, N151FC.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the flight instructor on board the Cessna 152, N151FC, while in the traffic pattern , the student pilot radioed their landing intentions over the UNICOM frequency. The pilot of the Cessna 150, N63434, stated that he recalled hearing the radio transmissions and was aware of the Cessna 152. The Cessna 150 pilot also stated that he believed that both airplanes entered the traffic pattern at approximately the same time but the Cessna 152 was at a lower altitude. The collision occurred about two feet above the runway when the Cessna 150 landed on top of the Cessna 152.
According to the flight instructor on board the Cessna 152, N151FC, while in the traffic pattern , the student pilot radioed their landing intentions over the UNICOM frequency. The pilot of the Cessna 150, N63434, stated that he recalled hearing the radio transmissions and was aware of the Cessna 152. The Cessna 150 pilot also stated that he believed that both airplanes entered the traffic pattern at approximately the same time but the Cessna 152 was at a lower altitude. The collision occurred about two feet above the runway when the Cessna 150 landed on top of the Cessna 152.
Factual narrative
See ATL96LA055A for the factual narrative.
On February 24, 1996, at 1400 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N151FC, and a Cessna 150, N63434, collided inflight over runway 33 while both airplanes were attempting to land at Arlington Municipal Airport in Arlington, Tennessee. The Cessna 152 instructional flight, and the Cessna 150 pleasure flight were operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plans filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage, and there were no injuries in either airplane. The Cessna 152 departed Olive Branch, Mississippi, at 1300 hours. The Cessna 150 departed Arlington, Tennessee, at 1330 hours.
After flying several minutes, the Cessna 150 pilot, entered the traffic pattern for Arlington Municipal Airport. According to the flight instructor in the Cessna 152, while in the traffic pattern at Arlington, the student pilot radioed their landing intentions over the UNICOM frequency. The pilot of the Cessna 150 stated that he recalled hearing the radio transmissions from the Cessna 152, and was aware of the Cessna 152. The Cessna 150 pilot also stated that he believed that the Cessna 152 was at a lower pattern altitude and he never established visual contact with the Cessna 152.
As the Cessna 152 started the flare to touchdown, the pilot noticed that the nose attitude became steeper and attempts to control the left yawing tendency of the airplane failed. After the collision, the airplane continued the left yaw and rotated 180 degrees to a 140 degree magnetic heading. Examination of the aircraft disclosed that Cessna 150 collided with the vertical fin and the aft portion of the left wing assembly of the Cessna 152.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N151FC
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 152284200
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Douglas Aviation
- Registered owner
- H.S. Spillars
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- OLV · Olive Branch, MS
- Airport
- LHC · Arlington Municipal, runway 33, 3,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
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.
- Registration
- N63434
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1577310
- Airframe hours
- 1,509
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John R. Wilkerson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 29, 1996
- Departed
- LHC
- Airport
- LHC · Arlington Municipal, runway 33, 3,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N151FC
- Age
- 39
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,402 total · 434 in this make and model · 1,259 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N63434
- Age
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 639 total · 331 in this make and model · 560 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 38 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.