- Date
- April 23, 1992, 12:10 local (17:10 UTC)
- Place
- Branson, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19920423018312A19920423018311A
- Case key
- 15428
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 inflight planning/decision by the pilot in command in failing to maintain distance separation from the other aircraft.
Inadequate inflight planning/decision by the pilot of the other aircraft in failing to maintain proper separation from this aircraft.
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
This aircraft was in the left wing position of a flight of four aircraft which were in cruise flight in a loose diamond formation. All of the aircraft were operated by the university of north dakota, and were enroute to a collegiate flying competition. The aircraft drifted into the lead aircraft. The right side of the engine cowling hit the left main landing gear of the lead aircraft. Neither aircraft could sustain flight after the collision. Both aircraft made forced landings. Formation flying is not a part of the university of north dakota flight syllabus.
This aircraft was the lead aircraft of a flight of four aircraft in cruise flight in a loose diamond formation. All four aircraft were operated by the university of north dakota, and were enroute to a collegiate flying competition. The aircraft in the left wing position hit this aircraft in the left main landing gear. Neither aircraft could sustain level flight. Both aircraft made forced landings. Formation flying is not a part of the university of north dakota flight syllabus.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N59ND
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285984
- Airframe hours
- 5,323
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- University Of North Dakota
- Registered owner
- University Of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 29, 1992 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- SGF · Springfield, MO
- Destination
- LIT · Little Rock, AR
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- N57ND
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285958
- Airframe hours
- 5,473
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- University Of North Dakota
- Registered owner
- University Of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 13, 1992
- Departed
- SGF · Springfield, MO
- Destination
- LIT · Little Rock, AR
- Flight plan
- VFR
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 N59ND
- Age
- 22
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 480 total · 180 in this make and model · 315 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N57ND
- Age
- 22
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 200 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 19 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 55 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.