Cessna 172N and Cessna 172M mid-air collision near St Paul, Minnesota, July 7, 1992
On July 7, 1992 at about 9:48 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172N (N6376F) and Cessna 172M (N5279R), were involved in a mid-air collision near St Paul, Minnesota (Downtown Holman Field). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PLOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RELIEVING CONTROLLERS TO USE THE RADAR DISPLAY TO IDENTIFY AND SEQUENCE AN AIRPLANE ENTERING THE PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE BRIEFING BY THE OFF-GOING CONTROLLER, AND INACCURATE POSITION REPORTS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N5279R.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RELIEVING CONTROLLERS TO USE THE RADAR DISPLAY TO IDENTIFY AND SEQUENCE AN AIRPLANE ENTERING THE PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE BRIEFING BY THE OFF-GOING CONTROLLER, AND INACCURATE POSITION REPORTS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N5279R.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1992 · about 9:48 pm local time
- Place
- St Paul, Minnesota · Downtown Holman Field · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6376F · no longer on the register · serial 17273210
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5279R · registry record · serial 17263493
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT & AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 172, N6376F (76F), WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LNDGS AS CESSNA 172, N5279R (79R), WAS ARRIVING (TRANSPORTING BLOOD FOR THE RED CROSS). AT 1640 CDT, 79R RPRTD 7 MI SE FOR LNDG. THE TWR CTLR SAW A TARGET IN THAT VCNTY (USING D-BRITE RADAR); HE TOLD 79R TO ENTER A LEFT DWNWND FOR RWY 12 & RPRT 2 MI SE. HE WAS RELIEVED AT 1643 BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR (DC) & A FULL PERFORMANCE CTLR (FPC). HE BRIEFED THEM ON PSNS OF ACFT IN THE PATTERN & TOLD THEM 79R (STILL OUT OF SIGHT) WAS INBOUND FM THE SE, BUT HE DIDN'T SHOW THEM ITS PSN ON RADAR DRG THE BRIEFING. AT 1644:55, 79R MADE A CALL, SAYING THE ACFT WAS 'PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT EAST OF THE AIRPORT.' 79R NEVER RPRTD ON DWNWND, ALTHO TOLD AGAIN TO DO SO. THE CTLRS WERE WORKING SVRL ACFT; THEY NEITHER SIGHTED 79R, NOR USED RADAR TO FIND IT. AT 1647:06, 79R CALLED TURNING BASE FOR RWY 12. AT THAT TIME, 79R WAS TRACKING INSIDE THE FLT PATH OF 76F, AS 76F WAS IN A LEFT TURN TO FINAL APCH FOR RWY 14. ABT 25 SEC LTR, THE 2 CONVERGED, COLLIDED, THEN CRASHED TO THE GND.
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 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT & AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 172, N6376F (76F), WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LNDGS AS CESSNA 172, N5279R (79R), WAS ARRIVING (TRANSPORTING BLOOD FOR THE RED CROSS). AT 1640 CDT, 79R RPRTD 7 MI SE FOR LNDG. THE TWR CTLR SAW A TARGET IN THAT VCNTY (USING D-BRITE RADAR); HE TOLD 79R TO ENTER A LEFT DWNWND FOR RWY 12 & RPRT 2 MI SE. HE WAS RELIEVED AT 1643 BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR (DC) & A FULL PERFORMANCE CTLR (FPC). HE BRIEFED THEM ON PSNS OF ACFT IN THE PATTERN & TOLD THEM 79R (STILL OUT OF SIGHT) WAS INBOUND FM THE SE, BUT HE DIDN'T SHOW THEM ITS PSN ON RADAR DRG THE BRIEFING. AT 1644:55, 79R MADE A CALL, SAYING THE ACFT WAS 'PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT EAST OF THE AIRPORT.' 79R NEVER RPRTD ON DWNWND, ALTHO TOLD AGAIN TO DO SO. THE CTLRS WERE WORKING SVRL ACFT; THEY NEITHER SIGHTED 79R, NOR USED RADAR TO FIND IT. AT 1647:06, 79R CALLED TURNING BASE FOR RWY 12. AT THAT TIME, 79R WAS TRACKING INSIDE THE FLT PATH OF 76F, AS 76F WAS IN A LEFT TURN TO FINAL APCH FOR RWY 14. ABT 25 SEC LTR, THE 2 CONVERGED, COLLIDED, THEN CRASHED TO THE GND.
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 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 560 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 495 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,658 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1992; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: STP at 9:22 pm
- Destination: STP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,711 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from STP, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,226 hours in all; 22 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,955 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1992; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 87D Dodge Center MN at 9:00 pm
- Destination: STP St Paul MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,115 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
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.
Other NTSB records under N6376F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
1983-06-05MIA83LA154 · accident near Chuluota, FL · substantial damage · no injuries
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.