Cessna 140A and amateur-built LITTLE TOOT 1 mid-air collision near Hamilton, Ohio, October 19, 1986
On October 19, 1986 at about 10:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 140A (N9612A) and amateur-built LITTLE TOOT 1 (N8152), were involved in a mid-air collision near Hamilton, Ohio (Hamilton airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1986 · about 10:20 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Hamilton, Ohio · Hamilton · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N9612A · registry record · serial 15333
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built LITTLE TOOT 1 LITTLE TOO
- Registration
- N8152 · registry record · serial SR62226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 140A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA HIGH WING WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN DOING TOUCH AND GO'S AND WAS ON THE THIRD APCH WHEN THE HOMEBUILT BIWING ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE HOMEBUILT OVERTOOK THE CESSNA ON SHORT FINAL. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 100-200 FEET AGL. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY. THE TOP OF THE LEFT WING OF THE CESSNA HAD THREE BLACK STREAKS ON IT AS WELL AS A DAMAGED LEFT AILERON. THE HOMEBUILT HAD A DAMAGED RIGHT BOTTOM WING TIP. THERE WERE TWO DISTINCT CUTS IN THE SPAR AND FABRIC. THE HOMEBUILT DID NOT HAVE A RADIO. THE DOWNWIND LEFT OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS ON A HEADING OF ALMOST DUE WEST. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE WESTERN HORIZON AND THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built LITTLE TOOT 1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA HIGH WING WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN DOING TOUCH AND GO'S AND WAS ON THE THIRD APCH WHEN THE HOMEBUILT BIWING ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE HOMEBUILT OVERTOOK THE CESSNA ON SHORT FINAL. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 100-200 FEET AGL. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY. THE TOP OF THE LEFT WING OF THE CESSNA HAD THREE BLACK STREAKS ON IT AS WELL AS A DAMAGED LEFT AILERON. THE HOMEBUILT HAD A DAMAGED RIGHT BOTTOM WING TIP. THERE WERE TWO DISTINCT CUTS IN THE SPAR AND FABRIC. THE HOMEBUILT DID NOT HAVE A RADIO. THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS ON A HEADING OF ALMOST DUE WEST. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE WESTERN HORIZON AND THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Cessna 140A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 973 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1986; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C9014F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from LUK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the amateur-built LITTLE TOOT 1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 259 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 196 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,170 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWO Middletown OH at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9612A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 140 1,839 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- N8152 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Continental C9014F · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER · as the NTSB recorded it
- Butler County Rgnl/Hogan Field · nearest airport
- Middletown Rgnl/Hook Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Ohio 1,884 since 1982 · 253 in the last ten years
- Ohio 8,529 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL87FA006.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.