Boeing 727 and Cessna 421C accident near South Haven, Michigan, June 23, 1985
On June 23, 1985 at about 9:08 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727 (N1965) and Cessna 421C (N1200L), were involved in the same accident near South Haven, Michigan. 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 71 others were 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
- June 23, 1985 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- South Haven, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 71 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727 · all 727s on the register
- Registration
- N1965 · no longer on the register · serial 19839
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1200L · registry record · serial 421C-1257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN (1ST OFFICER AT CTLS), AMERICAN FLT 803 (A BOEING 727, N1965) BGN A DSCNT FM FL 190 TO9000'. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON AT 18,000'. WHILE DSCNDG BTN CLD LAYERS, AT APRX 13,000 TO 12,000', THE CAPT SAWA CESSNA 421C, N1200L, CONVERGING FM OPPOSITE DRCTN. HE TOOK CTL & 'EXECUTED A HARD NOSE OVER' TO AVOID A COLLISION. THECESSNA PLT RPRTD HE WAS CRUISING IN VFR CONDS AT 12,500' WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING DSCNDG OUT OF SCAT CLDS. HE BGN DSCNDG, THEN ENTERED AN ABRUPT CLBG TURN TO AVOID COLLIDING. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER W/I 50 TO 100'. AN UNRESTRAINEDPAX & 1 FLT ATNDNT (FA) WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED; 2 FA'S RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER LNDG, WRINKLES & SKIN DMG WERE FNDON THE CESSNA'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS. THE CESSNA PLT WAS USING HIS #2 TRANSPONDER (XP); ARTCC WAS RECEIVING ITS REPLY INTERMITTENTLY; IT WAS FND TRANSMITTING 3 MHZ (MAX LMT) ABV THE DESIRED FREQ. ON 4/12/84, XP'S WERE CHKD & WRITTEN UP AS'#2 OFF FREQ HIGH.' AFTER THE NR COLLISION, THE ARTCC CTLR NOTED THE 'ALL PRIMARY' FEATURE OF HIS RADAR WAS NOT IN USE.
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 421C final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN (1ST OFFICER AT CTLS), AMERICAN FLT 803 (A BOEING 727, N1965) BGN A DSCNT FM FL 190 TO9000'. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON AT 18,000'. WHILE DSCNDG BTN CLD LAYERS, AT APRX 13,000 TO 12,000', THE CAPT SAWA CESSNA 421C, N1200L, CONVERGING FM OPPOSITE DRCTN. HE TOOK CTL & 'EXECUTED A HARD NOSE OVER' TO AVOID A COLLISION. THECESSNA PLT RPRTD HE WAS CRUISING IN VFR CONDS AT 12,500' WHEN HE SAW THE BOEING DSCNDG OUT OF SCAT CLDS. HE BGN DSCNDG, THEN ENTERED AN ABRUPT CLBG TURN TO AVOID COLLIDING. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER W/I 50 TO 100'. AN UNRESTRAINEDPAX & 1 FLT ATNDNT (FA) WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED; 2 FA'S RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER LNDG, WRINKLES & SKIN DMG WERE FNDON THE CESSNA'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS. THE CESSNA PLT WAS USING HIS #2 TRANSPONDER (XP); ARTCC WAS RECEIVING ITS REPLY INTERMITTENTLY; IT WAS FND TRANSMITTING 3 MHZ (MAX LMT) ABV THE DESIRED FREQ. ON 4/12/84, XP'S WERE CHKD & WRITTEN UP AS'#2 OFF FREQ HIGH.' AFTER THE NR COLLISION, THE ARTCC CTLR NOTED THE 'ALL PRIMARY' FEATURE OF HIS RADAR WAS NOT IN USE.
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 Boeing 727 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: 14,000 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 134
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL
- Destination: GRR Grand Rapids MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Passengers | 1 | 62 |
The factual record for the Cessna 421C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,640 hours in all; 408 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 378 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 1, 1984; 138 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.