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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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December 28, 1985 · Cessna 172B · N6876X

Caddo Mills, TX

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 28, 1985
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities), 2 uninjured
Location
Caddo Mills, TX
Aircraft
Cessna 172B
Tail Number
N6876X
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW86FA027

Mid-air occurred at uncontrolled airport with the S-2B executing right traffic, as published, and the C-172 executing a long final or an arcing left turn to final. Both aircraft were attempting to land on runway 17R. Accident occurred during late afternoon and there was considerable sun glare. The S-2B came out of the sun and collided with the right side of the C-172 empennage, causing the tail to sever. At the time, C-172 was wings level in a slight descent, S-2B was in a right bank, slight nose high attitude, descending. C-172 crashed in an open field and S-2B regained control and landed without further damage. Witnesses stated that C-172 did not take evasive action and pilots in S-2B stated that they did not see the C-172 until after the collision. Airport manager did not recall hearing either aircraft transmit on UNICOM. Sun glare would have made acquisition of S-2B difficult for C-172 pilot and restricted visibility out of S-2B affected visual acquisition of C-172 by its pilots.

Full Narrative

MID-AIR OCCURRED AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITH THE S-2B EXECUTING RT TRAFFIC, AS PUBLISHED, AND THE C-172 EXECUTING A LONG FINAL OR AN ARCING LFT TURN TO FINAL. BOTH ACFT WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 17R. ACDT OCCURRED DURING LATE AFTERNOON AND THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE SUN GLARE. THE S-2B CAME OUT OF THE SUN AND COLLIDED WITH THE RT SIDE OF THE C-172 EMPENNAGE, CAUSING THE TAIL TO SEVER. AT THE TIME, C-172 WAS WINGS LEVEL IN A SLIGHT DESCENT, S-2B WAS IN A RT BANK, SLIGHT NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, DESCENDING. C-172 CRASHED IN AN OPEN FLD AND S-2B REGAINED CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE. WITNESSES STATED THAT C-172 DID NOT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND PLT'S IN S-2B STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THE C-172 UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. ARPT MGR DID NOT RECALL HEARING EITHER ACFT TRANSMIT ON UNICOM. SUN GLARE WOULD HAVE MADE ACQUISITION OF S-2B DIFFICULT FOR C-172 PLT AND RESTRICTED VISIBILITY OUT OF S-2B AFFECTED VISUAL ACQUISITION OF C-172 BY IT'S PILOTS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:00 CST
Nearest AirportCaddo Mills Muni (1nm N)
Runway17R
Runway Length4000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172B
Tail NumberN6876X
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-300-D0D · Reciprocating · 145 | Lycoming · AEIO540D4A5 · Reciprocating · 260
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities), 2 uninjured
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total4
Crew 1Age 43 · Third Class
Crew 2Age 50 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind130° @ 4 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point57 / 25 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time21:48
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data