Cessna 152 and Cessna 182P mid-air collision near Fort Payne, Alabama, April 25, 1995
On April 25, 1995 at about 10:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 152 (N5527M) and Cessna 182P (N20841), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fort Payne, Alabama (Isbell Field). 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 inadequate visual lookout by both pilots. Factors were the radio reception difficulties of the 152 pilot, his failure to make position reports while maneuvering for a landing, and the failure of the 182 pilot to have a safety observer while conducting visual instrument-procedures.
THE INAEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS. FACTORS WERE THE RADIO RECEPTION DIFFICULTIES OF THE 152 PILOT, HIS FAILURE TO MAKE POSITION REPORTS WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A LANDING, AND THE FAILURE OF THE 182 PILOT TO HAVE A SAFETY OBSERVER WHILE CONDUCTING VISUAL INSTRUMENT-PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1995 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Payne, Alabama · Isbell Field · 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 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5527M · no longer on the register · serial 15284603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N20841 · registry record · serial 182P61248
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 152 & A CESSNA 182 COLLIDED, NEARLY HEAD-ON, AT 2600 FEET ABOUT THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE 152 PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE TO CONDUCT A LONG STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, & WAS NORTHEAST BOUND, IN A CLIMB, AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE 182 PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, USING THE NDB APPROACH PROCEDURES. HE WAS SOUTHWEST BOUND, HAD JUST PASSED THE NDB INBOUND TO THE FIELD, & HAD BEGUN A DESCENT, WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE 152 PILOT SAW THE 182 A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE IMPACT & BEGAN AN EVASIVE DIVE. ACCORDING TO THE 182 PILOT, HE SAW THE 152 ABOUT 50 FEET BELOW HIM, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF HIS COURSE, & HAD INSUFFICIENT TIME TO BEGIN AN EVASIVE MANEUVER. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL OF THE 182 CONTACTED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE 152, SEPARATING THE RUDDER OF THE 152. BOTH PILOTS WERE USING THE CTAF. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR BOTH PILOTS, WHO WAS ALSO FLYING AT THE TIME, THE 152 PILOT HAD NOT MADE ANY POSITION REPORTS. THE 152 PILOT REPORTED DIFFICULTIES HEARING INFORMATION PROVIDED TO HIM, BY UNICOM, REGARDING TRAFFIC.
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 182P final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 152 & A CESSNA 182 COLLIDED, NEARLY HEAD-ON, AT 2600 FEET ABOUT THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE 152 PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE TO CONDUCT A LONG STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, & WAS NORTHEAST BOUND, IN A CLIMB, AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE 182 PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, USING THE NDB APPROACH PROCEDURES. HE WAS SOUTHWEST BOUND, HAS JUST PASSED THE NDB INBOUND TO THE FIELD, & HAD BEGUN A DESCENT, WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE 152 PILOT SAW THE 182 A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE IMPACT & BEGAN AN EVASIVE DIVE. ACCORDING TO THE 182 PILOT, HE SAW THE 152 ABOUT 50 FEET BELOW HIM, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF HIS COURSE, & HAD INSUFFICIENT TIME TO BEGAN AN EVASIVE MANEUVER. THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL OF THE 182 CONTACTED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE 152, SEPARATING THE RUDDER OF THE 152. BOTH PILOTS WERE USING THE CTAF. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR BOTH PILOTS, WHO WAS ALSO FLYING AT THE TIME, THE 152 PILOT HAD NOT MADE ANY POSITION REPORTS. THE 152 PILOT REPORTED DIFFICULTIES HEARING INFORMATION PROVIDED TO HIM, BY UNICOM, REGARDING TRAFFIC.
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 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,256 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1995; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A9 at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,225 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:20 pm from 4A9, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 182P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 168 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,534 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1993; 162 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A9 at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,225 ft by 100 ft
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.
Other NTSB records under N5527M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.