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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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NTSB Report

September 7, 1985 · Cessna 150 · N6177K

Pensacola, FL

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 7, 1985
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Pensacola, FL
Aircraft
Cessna 150
Tail Number
N6177K
Operator
John L Griffin Jr
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
MIA85FA247

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.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:05 CDT
Nearest AirportPENSACOL (1nm ENE)
Runway25R
Runway Length8000 ft
Runway Width200 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 150
Tail NumberN6177K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorJohn L Griffin Jr
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-200-A · Reciprocating · 100 | Ge · J-85GE-4 · Turbojet · 2950
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 30 · Second Class
Crew 2Age 24 · Unknown

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind270° @ 4 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time01:10
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data