- Date
- July 7, 1992, 16:48 local (21:48 UTC)
- Place
- St Paul, MN
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19920707023952A19920707023951A
- Case key
- 15297
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
Inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid conflicting traffic, and failure of the relieving controllers to use the radar display to identify and sequence an airplane entering the pattern. Factors related to the accident were: an inadequate briefing by the off-going controller, and inaccurate position reports by the pilot-in-command of N5279R.
Inadequate visual lookout by the plots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid conflicting traffic, and failure of the relieving controllers to use the radar display to identify and sequence an airplane entering the pattern. Factors related to the accident were: an inadequate briefing by the off-going controller, and inaccurate position reports by the pilot-in-command of N5279R.
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
A student & an instructor (CFI) in Cessna 172, N6376F (76F), were practicing touch-&-go lndgs as Cessna 172, N5279R (79R), was arriving (transporting blood for the red cross). At 1640 CDT, 79R rprtd 7 mi se for lndg. The twr ctlr saw a target in that vcnty (using d-brite radar); he told 79R to enter a left dwnwnd for rwy 12 & rprt 2 mi se. He was relieved at 1643 by a developmental ctlr (DC) & a full performance ctlr (fpc). He briefed them on psns of acft in the pattern & told them 79R (still out of sight) was inbound fm the se, but he didn't show them its psn on radar drg the briefing. At 1644:55, 79R made a call, saying the acft was 'practically straight east of the airport.' 79R never rprtd on dwnwnd, altho told again to do so. The ctlrs were working svrl acft; they neither sighted 79R, nor used radar to find it. At 1647:06, 79R called turning base for rwy 12. At that time, 79R was tracking inside the flt path of 76F, as 76F was in a left turn to final apch for rwy 14. Abt 25 sec ltr, the 2 converged, collided, then crashed to the gnd.
A student & an instructor (CFI) in Cessna 172, N6376F (76F), were practicing touch-&-go lndgs as Cessna 172, N5279R (79R), was arriving (transporting blood for the red cross). At 1640 CDT, 79R rprtd 7 mi se for lndg. The twr ctlr saw a target in that vcnty (using d-brite radar); he told 79R to enter a left dwnwnd for rwy 12 & rprt 2 mi se. He was relieved at 1643 by a developmental ctlr (DC) & a full performance ctlr (fpc). He briefed them on psns of acft in the pattern & told them 79R (still out of sight) was inbound fm the se, but he didn't show them its psn on radar drg the briefing. At 1644:55, 79R made a call, saying the acft was 'practically straight east of the airport.' 79R never rprtd on dwnwnd, altho told again to do so. The ctlrs were working svrl acft; they neither sighted 79R, nor used radar to find it. At 1647:06, 79R called turning base for rwy 12. At that time, 79R was tracking inside the flt path of 76F, as 76F was in a left turn to final apch for rwy 14. Abt 25 sec ltr, the 2 converged, collided, then crashed to the gnd.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N6376F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273210
- Airframe hours
- 4,658
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wings, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Wings, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 21, 1992 · 96 hours before
- Departed
- STP
- Destination
- STP
- Airport
- STP · Downtown Holman Field, runway 14, 6,711 × 150 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
- N5279R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263493
- Airframe hours
- 5,262
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Clara J. & Arnold R. Johansen
- Registered owner
- Clara J. & Arnold R. Johansen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 1992 · 94 hours before
- Departed
- 87D · Dodge Center, MN
- Destination
- STP · St Paul, MN
- Airport
- STP · Downtown Holman Field, runway 12, 4,115 × 150 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 N6376F
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 300 in this make and model · 495 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N5279R
- Age
- 77
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,226 total · 1,955 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STP, 1 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.
Other investigations on N6376F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.