Isbell Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Payne, Alabama 35967
Tuesady, April 25, 1995 17:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 152 & A CESSNA 182 COLLIDED, NEARLY HEAD-ON, AT 2600 FEET ABOUT THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE 152 PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE TO CONDUCT A LONG STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, & WAS NORTHEAST BOUND, IN A CLIMB, AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE 182 PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, USING THE NDB APPROACH PROCEDURES. HE WAS SOUTHWEST BOUND, HAD JUST PASSED THE NDB INBOUND TO THE FIELD, & HAD BEGUN A DESCENT, WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE 152 PILOT SAW THE 182 A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE IMPACT & BEGAN AN EVASIVE DIVE. ACCORDING TO THE 182 PILOT, HE SAW THE 152 ABOUT 50 FEET BELOW HIM, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF HIS COURSE, & HAD INSUFFICIENT TIME TO BEGIN AN EVASIVE MANEUVER. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL OF THE 182 CONTACTED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE 152, SEPARATING THE RUDDER OF THE 152. BOTH PILOTS WERE USING THE CTAF. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR BOTH PILOTS, WHO WAS ALSO FLYING AT THE TIME, THE 152 PILOT HAD NOT MADE ANY POSITION REPORTS. THE 152 PILOT REPORTED DIFFICULTIES HEARING INFORMATION PROVIDED TO HIM, BY UNICOM, REGARDING TRAFFIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate visual lookout by both pilots. Factors were the radio reception difficulties of the 152 pilot, his failure to make position reports while maneuvering for a landing, and the failure of the 182 pilot to have a safety observer while conducting visual instrument-procedures.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FORT PAYNE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35967
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ISBELL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4A9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 41
Airport Elevation 877
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1720 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID 4A9
Elevation of weather observation facility 877
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 334
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1832
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N5527M N20841
NTSB Number ATL95LA089A ATL95LA089B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier 152 182P
Aircraft Serial Number 15284603 182P61248
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670 2950
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 17 1995 12:00AM Aug 12 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6 162
Airframe Hours 6256 2534
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name VALLEY AVIATION, INC GEORGE G. WEATHERLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2200 TERMINAL DRIVE 5101 CROW BLVD
Aircraft Owner City FORT PAYNE FORT PAYNE
Aircraft Owner State AL AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35967 35967
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code 4A9 4A9
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600 1615
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22 22
Runway Length 4225 4225
Runway Width 100 100
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --