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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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May 20, 1986 · Cessna 152 · N6161M

Mead, WA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 20, 1986
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 minor injury)
Location
Mead, WA
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Tail Number
N6161M
Operator
Ronald Fleming
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA86FA121

BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING IN VFR CONDITIONS MODIFIED BY SLIGHT HAZE, HIGH OVERCAST AND LOW SUN ANGLE NEAR AIRPORT. N6161M WAS PERFORMING LAZY EIGHT MANEUVERS IN A NORMAL PRACTICE AREA TWO MILES EAST OF AIRPORT; N8267Q WAS IN CLOCKWISE ORBITAL DESCENT FOR LANDING FOLLOWING A PARACHUTE JUMP PLANE. RADAR DATA AND WITNESS INFORMATION SHOW THAT ON EAST SIDE OF AIRPORT, N8267Q DEVIATED FROM ORBIT AND PROCEEDED SOUTHEAST AS N6161M COMPLETED NORTH END OF FIGURE EIGHT IN RIGHT TURN AWAY FROM AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED SOUTH. ACFT CONVERGED AT ABOUT 30 DEGREE CLOSING ANGLE WITH N6161M CLIMBING AND N8267Q DESCENDING AND COLLIDED AT ABOUT 2500 FT AGL.

Full Narrative

BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING IN VFR CONDITIONS MODIFIED BY SLIGHT HAZE, HIGH OVERCAST AND LOW SUN ANGLE NEAR AIRPORT. N6161M WAS PERFORMING LAZY EIGHT MANEUVERS IN A NORMAL PRACTICE AREA TWO MILES EAST OF AIRPORT; N8267Q WAS IN CLOCKWISE ORBITAL DESCENT FOR LANDING FOLLOWING A PARACHUTE JUMP PLANE. RADAR DATA AND WITNESS INFORMATION SHOW THAT ON EAST SIDE OF AIRPORT, N8267Q DEVIATED FROM ORBIT AND PROCEEDED SOUTHEAST AS N6161M COMPLETED NORTH END OF FIGURE EIGHT IN RIGHT TURN AWAY FROM AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED SOUTH. ACFT CONVERGED AT ABOUT 30 DEGREE CLOSING ANGLE WITH N6161M CLIMBING AND N8267Q DESCENDING AND COLLIDED AT ABOUT 2500 FT AGL.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:38 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 152
Tail NumberN6161M
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRonald Fleming
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235-L2C · Reciprocating · 110 | Continental · TSIO-520-C · Reciprocating · 285
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 minor injury)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 45 · Second Class
Crew 2Age 41 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind10° @ 4 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingOvercast 25000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 50
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time02:52
Weather SourceWFAC

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Appendix: Source Data