Cessna U-206 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Front Royal, Virginia, October 25, 1987
On October 25, 1987 at about 8:38 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna U-206 (N756KP) and Cessna 152 (N95707), were involved in a mid-air collision near Front Royal, Virginia (Front Royal-Warren Cnty airport). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was 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
- October 25, 1987 · about 8:38 pm local time
- Place
- Front Royal, Virginia · Front Royal-Warren Cnty · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna U-206 · all U-206s on the register
- Registration
- N756KP · registry record · serial U20604154
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95707 · no longer on the register · serial 15285691
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna U-206 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION WITH N95707 A CESSNA 152 AIRCRAFT, WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON THE FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27 AT THE UNCONTROLLED FRONT ROYAL, VA AIRPORT. EXCELLENT VFR WEATHER PREVAILED WITH 15 MILES VISIBILITY REPORTED. NEITHER PILOT WAS IN POSITION TO OBSERVE THE OTHER AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION BUT BOTH HAD BEEN IN POSITION TO OBSERVE THE OTHER BEFORE TURNING ONTO THE FINAL APPROACHES. N756KP MADE A SAFE LANDING AT THE DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. N95707 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN.
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 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION WITH N756KP, A CESSNA U206 AIRCRAFT, WHILE BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON THE FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27 AT THE UNCONTROLLED FRONT ROYAL, VA AIRPORT. EXCELLENT VFR WEATHER PREVAILED WITH 15 MILES VISIBILITY REPORTED. NEITHER PILOT WAS IN POSITION TO OBSERVE THE OTHER AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION BUT BOTH HAD BEEN IN POSITION TO OBSERVE THE OTHER BEFORE TURNING ONTO THE FINAL APPROACHES. N756KP MADE A SAFE LANDING AT THE DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. N95707 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN.
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 U-206 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2,602 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,020 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W09 Leesburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,019 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MRB, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,019 ft by 50 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.
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.