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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1990 · about 11:05 pm local time · cases in 1990
- 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 |
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
- N217AS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Embraer EMB-120 41 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Embraer 663 aircraft on the register
- N99501 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W PW118 37 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P&W PW118 37 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northeast Alabama Regional · departed from
- Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,211 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,351 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL90FA095.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.