Embraer EMB-120 and Cessna 172 mid-air collision near Gadsden, Alabama, April 9, 1990
On April 9, 1990 at about 11:05 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Embraer EMB-120 (N217AS) and Cessna 172 (N99501), were involved in a mid-air collision near Gadsden, Alabama. 2 people were killed; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SUN'S GLARE, WHICH RESTRICTED THE VISION OF THE CESSNA 172 PILOT.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SUN'S GLARE, WHICH RESTRICTED THE VISION OF THE CESSNA 172 PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1990 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gadsden, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Embraer EMB-120 · all EMB-120s on the register
- Registration
- N217AS · registry record · serial 120011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N99501 · registry record · serial 17276455
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Embraer EMB-120 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG DEP FM RWY 24 WITH AN IFR CLNC, AN ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINE FLT (EMBRAER EMB-120, N217AS) ENTERED A LEFT TURN TO A HDG OF EAST & CLIMBED TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000' MSL. BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH ATC, THE EMB-120 CONVERGED WITH A CAP CESSNA 172, N99501. THE CESSNA WAS HDG WESTBOUND TOWARD THE SETTING SUN. SUBSEQUENTLY, A HEAD-ON COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 2-1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT. DRG IMPACT, THE RGT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE EMB-120 SEPD FROM THE ACFT, BUT IT CONTD FLYING TO A SAFE LNDG. THE CESSNA, HOWEVER, ENTERED AN UNCTLD DSCNT & CRASHED. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE COLLISION, DID NOT NOTE ANY EVASIVE ACTION BY EITHER ACFT BEFORE IMPACT. THE CREW OF THE EMB-120 RPRTD THAT THEY SAW THE CESSNA MOMENTS BEFORE IMPACT. THE CAPT OF THE EMB-120 SAID HE TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION BY 'PUSHING' THE NOSE DOWN, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. A FLT ATTENDANT ON THE EMB-120 RECALLED A 'THUMP' BEFORE THE ACFT STARTED A DSCNT.
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 Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG DEP FM RWY 24 WITH AN IFR CLNC, AN ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINE FLT (EMBRAER EMB-120, N217AS) ENTERED A LEFT TURN TO A HDG OF EAST & CLIMBED TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 5000' MSL. BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH ATC, THE EMB-120 CONVERGED WITH A CAP CESSNA 172, N99501. THE CESSNA WAS HDG WESTBOUND TOWARD THE SETTING SUN. SUBSEQUENTLY, A HEAD-ON COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 2-1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT. DRG IMPACT, THE RGT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE EMB-120 SEPD FROM THE ACFT, BUT IT CONTD FLYING TO A SAFE LNDG. THE CESSNA, HOWEVER, ENTERED AN UNCTLD DSCNT & CRASHED. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE COLLISION, DID NOT NOTE ANY EVASIVE ACTION BY EITHER ACFT BEFORE IMPACT. THE CREW OF THE EMB-120 RPRTD THAT THEY SAW THE CESSNA MOMENTS BEFORE IMPACT. THE CAPT OF THE EMB-120 SAID HE TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION BY 'PUSHING' THE NOSE DOWN, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. A FLT ATTENDANT ON THE EMB-120 RECALLED A 'THUMP' BEFORE THE ACFT STARTED A DSCNT.
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 Embraer EMB-120 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,352 hours in all; 903 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 5,894 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 33
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAD Gadsden AL at 10:53 pm
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,803 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from GAD, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 224 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol INC
The flight
- Departed from: GAD Gadsden AL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL90FA095.