Kent State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kent, Ohio 44224
Saturday, October 20, 1990 16:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO CESSNA 152'S COLLIDED WHILE OPERATING IN A CONGESTED AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THERE WERE 7 AIRPLANES IN THIS PATTERN AT THE SAME TIME. THE AIRPORT HAS NO CONTROL TOWER. THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY FLIGHT TRAINING COORDINATOR SAID, 'THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF TRANSIENT TRAFFIC THIS DAY...THE RADIO FREQUENCY WAS SATURATED WITH RADIO CALLS.' THE PILOTS LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY AIRPLANES AND SOME OF THESE WERE OT FAIMLIAR WITH THE NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN. AFTER THE MID AIR COLLISION, BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION IN THE LANDING TRAFFIC PATTERN. FACTORS TO THIS MID-AIR COLLISION WERE THE EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF AIRPLANES IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN AND RADIO FREQUENCY CONGESTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KENT
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44224
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KENT STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1G3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1136
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2038
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N5331P N95474
NTSB Number NYC91LA015A NYC91LA015B
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 Substantial
Aircraft Fire Unknown None
Aircraft Explosion Unknown None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285901 15284914
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675 1675
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 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name KENT STATE UNIVERSITY KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 4020 KENT ROAD 4020 KENT RAOD
Operator City STOW STOW
Operator State OH OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44224 44224
Operator Code JU8S
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 Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code 1G3 29G
Departure City STOW RAVENNA
Departure State OH OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19 19
Runway Length 3965 3965
Runway Width 60 60
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --