Cessna 207 and Cessna 120 mid-air collision near Topping, Virginia, November 12, 1988
On November 12, 1988 at about 8:33 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 207 (N73114) and Cessna 120 (N76470), were involved in a mid-air collision near Topping, Virginia (Hummel Airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- November 12, 1988 · about 8:33 pm local time
- Place
- Topping, Virginia · Hummel Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N73114 · no longer on the register · serial 20700560
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N76470 · registry record · serial 10902
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 207 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N76470 DEPARTED ON RWY 18 AND FOLLOWED THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE BEFORE TURNING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18. THE PILOT OF N73114 DEPARTED THE GRASS RWY 18 AND FLEW THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE PRIOR TO TURNING TO A HEADING OF 070 DEG TO DEPART THE AREA. THE PILOT OF N73114 STATED HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO CHANGING THE RADIO FREQ WHEN HIS PASSENGER ALERTED HIM TO ANOTHER ACFT TO HIS RIGHT. HE STATED THAT BY THE TIME HE SAW THE ACFT THE COLLISION HAD OCCURRED. THE PLT OF N76470 STATED HE DID NOT SEE N73114 UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. N76470 WAS APRX 1/3 THE WAY DOWN THE DOWNWIND LEG AND N73114 WAS PASSING ACROSS THE DOWNWIND LEG WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APRX 800 FT MSL. BOTH ACFT RETURNED AND LANDED AT HUMMEL AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 120 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF N76470 DEPARTED ON RWY 18 AND FOLLOWED THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE BEFORE TURNING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18. THE PILOT OF N73114 DEPARTED THE GRASS RWY 18 AND FLEW THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE PRIOR TO TURNING TO A HEADING OF 070 DEG TO DEPART THE AREA. THE PILOT OF N73114 STATED HIS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO CHANGING THE RADIO FREQ WHEN HIS PASSENGER ALERTED HIM TO ANOTHER ACFT TO HIS RIGHT. HE STATED THAT BY TIME HE SAW THE ACFT THE COLLISION HAD OCCURRED. THE PLT OF N76470 STATED HE DID NOT SEE N73114 UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. N76470 WAS APRX 1/3 THE WAY DOWN THE DOWNWIND LEG AND N73114 WAS PASSING ACROSS THE DOWNWIND LEG WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APRX 800 FT MSL. BOTH ACFT RETURNED AND LANDED AT HUMMEL AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 207 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 564 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 228 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command; 164 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1988; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-DCF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TGI Tangier Island VA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 120 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 697 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,212 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 1988; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 45 ft
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.
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.