Cessna 182 and Cessna 150M mid-air collision near Suffolk, Virginia, November 11, 1992
On November 11, 1992 at about 6:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 182 (N91868) and Cessna 150M (N63532), were involved in a mid-air collision near Suffolk, Virginia (Suffock Muni airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOTS IN THE CESSNA 182 TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY AND AVOID THE CESSNA 150 (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: USE OF A NONSTANDARD ENTRY INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN BY THE CESSNA 182 FLIGHT CREW.
FAILURE OF THE PILOTS IN THE CESSNA 182 TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY AND AVOID THE CESSNA 150 (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: USE OF A NONSTANDARD ENTRY INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN BY THE CESSNA 182 FLIGHT CREW.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1992 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Suffolk, Virginia · Suffock Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N91868 · registry record · serial 18259940
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N63532 · registry record · serial 15077377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 182 final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA 182, N91868, COLLIDED IN FLIGHT WITH CESSNA 150, N63532, WHILE BOTH WERE IN A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE CESSNA 150 PILOTS (CHECK PILOT AND PILOT BEING EVALUATED) HAD JUST LANDED AND TOOK OFF AGAIN FOR ANOTHER PATTERN, AS THE CESSNA 182 PILOTS WERE ENTERING THE PATTERN TO LAND. AS THE CESSNA 150 WAS ROLLING OUT ON A LEFT DOWNWIND, THE LEFT SEAT PILOT OBSERVED THE CESSNA 182 CONVERGING FROM BEHIND AND FROM THE LEFT, SO HE 'PULLED THE NOSE SHARPLY UP.' MEANWHILE, THE PASSENGER IN THE CESSNA 182 ALERTED THE CFI AND STUDENT PILOT IN THE FRONT SEATS THAT THE CESSNA 150 WAS CONVERGING FROM THE RIGHT. THE CFI IN THE CESSNA 182 TOOK THE CONTROLS AND 'MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN.' THE AIRPLANES COLLIDED, BUT WERE LANDED SAFELY. THE CESSNA 150 CHECK PILOT STATED THAT THE CESSNA 182 PILOTS HAD MADE A NONSTANDARD ENTRY INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.
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 150M final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA 182, N91868, COLLIDED IN FLIGHT WITH CESSNA 150, N63532, WHILE BOTH WERE IN A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE CESSNA 150 PILOTS (CHECK PILOT AND PILOT BEING EVALUATED) HAD JUST LANDED AND TOOK OFF AGAIN FOR ANOTHER PATTERN AS THE CESSNA 182 PILOTS WERE ENTERING THE PATTERN TO LAND. AS THE CESSNA 150 WAS ROLLING OUT ON A LEFT DOWNWIND, THE LEFT SEAT PILOT OBSERVED THE CESSNA 182 CONVERGING FROM BEHIND AND FROM THE LEFT, SO HE 'PULLED THE NOSE SHARPLY UP.' MEANWHILE, THE PASSENGER IN THE CESSNA 182 ALERTED THE CFI AND STUDENT PILOT IN THE FRONT SEATS THAT THE CESSNA 150 WAS CONVERGING FROM THE RIGHT. THE CFI IN THE CESSNA 182 TOOK THE CONTROLS AND 'MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN.' THE AIRPLANES COLLIDED, BUT WERE LANDED SAFELY. THE CESSNA 150 CHECK PILOT STATED THAT THE CESSNA 182 PILOTS HAD MADE A NONSTANDARD ENTRY INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.
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 182 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PXT Patuxent River MD at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 150M 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 310 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,037 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Virginia Aircraft Brokers, INC
The flight
- Departed from: SFQ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: PVG Hampton Roads VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 BFO93LA006.