Cessna 150 and Beech 77 mid-air collision near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 6, 1988
On March 6, 1988 at about 8:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150 (N60371) and Beech 77 (N3818U), were involved in a mid-air collision near Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville Downtown Island airport). 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 1988 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Knoxville Downtown Island
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N60371 · registry record · serial 15070262
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N3818U · no longer on the register · serial WA 223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA MADE A LONG STRAIGHT IN FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT'S RADIO TRANSMITTER WAS INOP. AFTERWARD THE CESSNA PIC RPTED THAT INITIALLY HE SAW THE BEECH ON A LEFT BASE. LATER HE STATED THE BEECH WAS HEADING AWAY FROM THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE BEECH FLYING A NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ARRIVING ON FINAL ABOVE & SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE CESSNA. THE BEECH BEGAN A STEEPER, FASTER DESCENT & COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA FROM BEHIND. THE INVESTIGATION UNCOVERED INTENSE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CESSNA OPERATIONS AND THE FLIGHT SCHOOL WHERE THE BEECH WAS BASED. CORPORATE PILOTS COMPLAINED ABOUT TRAFFIC PATTERN DISCOURTESY BY TWO ACFT WHOSE DESCRIPTIONS MATCHED THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS COLLISION. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE BEECH MAKING POSITION REPORTS IN THE PATTERN. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE CESSNA RADIO WAS RECEIVING SATISFACTORILLY.
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 Beech 77 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA MADE A LONG STRAIGHT IN FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT'S RADIO TRANSMITTER WAS INOP. AFTERWARD THE CESSNA PIC RPTED THAT INITIALLY HE SAW THE BEECH ON A LEFT BASE. LATER HE STATED THE BEECH WAS HEADING AWAY FROM THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE BEECH FLYING A NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ARRIVING ON FINAL ABOVE & SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE CESSNA. THE BEECH BEGAN A STEEPER, FASTER DESCENT & COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA FROM BEHIND. THE INVESTIGATION UNCOVERED INTENSE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE CESSNA OPERATORS AND THE FLIGHT SCHOOL WHERE THE BEECH WAS BASED. CORPORATE PILOTS COMPLAINED ABOUT TRAFFIC PATTERN DISCOURTESY BY TWO ACFT WHOSE DESCRIPTIONS MATCHED THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS COLLISION. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE BEECH MAKING POSITION REPORTS IN THE PATTERN. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE CESSNA RADIO WAS RECEIVING SATISFACTORILLY.
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 150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 185 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 17, 1987; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from TYS, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 77 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,058 hours in all; 231 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 912 as pilot in command; 768 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,318 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1988; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviatin Instruction, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.