# NTSB MIA85FA247: Cessna 150, N6177K, Pensacola, FL, September 7, 1985 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: September 6, 1985, 20:05 local (Sep 7, 1985, 01:05 UTC) - Place: Pensacola, FL - Coordinates: 30.410354, -87.220527 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4104&lon=-87.2205&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 31260 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA85FA247 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31260/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA85FA247 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor) - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - air/ground communications - not used, pilot in command (cause) - landed at wrong airport - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Midair collision, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - air/ground communications - not used, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - climb - not selected, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) THE COMMERCIAL PLT & CFI DEPARTED FROM GULFPORT, MS ON A NIGHT VFR X-COUNTRY FLT TO GULF SHORES. AL. THE FLT LANDED AT FOLEY, AL AFTER THE PLT MISTOOK FOLEY FOR GULFSHORES 10 MI SOUTH. THE FLT DEPARTED AGAIN & WAS ADVISED BY ATC TO FLY A HEADING OF 170 DEG FOR GULFSHORES. CONTACT BETWEEN THE FLT & ATC WAS THEN TERMINATED DUE TO DISTANCE & ALT CONSIDERATION. THE PLT THEN OBSERVED THE LIGHTS OF OTHER ACFT EAST OF HIM & ASSUMED THEM TO BE IN THE TOUCH & GO PATTERN AT GULFSHORES. THE LIGHTS HE HAD OBSERVED WERE THOSE OF NAVY JET TRAINING A POSITION. THE NAVY ACFT WERE EXECUTING LEFT TRAFFIC BU THE CIVIL PLT ENTERED INTO RT TRAFFIC & SEQUENCED HIMSELF BETWEEN THE ACFT ON FINAL APCH. THE FASTER JET ACFT OVERTOOK THE CIVIL & A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURED. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY & THERE WERE NO INJURES. THE CIVIL PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO DISTINGUISH A CIVIL ARPT BEACON FROM A MILITARY ARPT BEACON. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) THE COMMERCIAL PLT & CFI DEPARTED FROM GULFPORT, MS ON A NIGHT VFR X-COUNTRY FLT TO GULF SHORES. AL. THE FLT LANDED AT FOLEY, AL AFTER THE PLT MISTOOK FOLEY FOR GULFSHORES 10 MI SOUTH. THE FLT DEPARTED AGAIN & WAS ADVISED BY ATC TO FLY A HEADING OF 170 DEG FOR GULFSHORES. CONTACT BETWEEN THE FLT & ATC WAS THEN TERMINATED DUE TO DISTANCE & ALT CONSIDERATION. THE PLT THEN OBSERVED THE LIGHTS OF OTHER ACFT EAST OF HIM & ASSUMED THEM TO BE IN THE TOUCH & GO PATTERN AT GULFSHORES. THE LIGHTS HE HAD OBSERVED WERE THOSE OF NAVY JET TRAINING A POSITION. THE NAVY ACFT WERE EXECUTING LEFT TRAFFIC BUT THE CIVIL PLT ENTERED INTO RT TRAFFIC & SEQUENCECD HIMSELF BETWEEN THE ACFT ON FINAL APCH. THE FASTER JET ACFT OVERTOOK THE CIVIL & A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY & THERE WERE NO INJURES. THE CIVIL PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO DISTINGUISH A CIVIL ARPT BEACON FROM A MILTARY ARPT BEACON. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N6177K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6177K), registered now, S/N 15077572, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 - Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15077572 - Airframe hours: 2515 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John L.Griffin,Jr. - Registered owner: Personal Aircraft Service Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, September 4, 1985, 3 hours before - Departed: 5R4, FOLEY, AL - Destination: AL15, GULF SHORES, AL - Airport: NPA, Pensacol, runway 25R, 8,000 × 200 ft, asphalt ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: USN (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN T-2C - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 158876 - Airframe hours: 4670 - Engines: GE J-85GE-4 2950 lbs thrust turbo jet - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Armed forces - Operator: Ensign Robert J. Windas - Registered owner: U.S. Navy - Last inspection: Unknown, May 5, 1985, 137 hours before - Departed: NPA, PENSACOLA, FL - Airport: NPA, Pensacol, runway 25R, 8,000 × 200 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N6177K; age 30; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 344 total, 275 in this make and model, 212 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days - Pilot, aircraft 2; age 24; military; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 155 total, 82 in this make and model, 11 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 270° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: NPA, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19850906071921A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850906071921A), Sep 6, 1985: Cessna 150, Pensacola, FL, Substantial damage. Navy aircrafts wheel struck top of wing while on final approach to wrong airport. No ATC communication, tail light. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.