Cessna 150L and Cessna 172N accident near Richmond, Indiana, May 28, 1994
On May 28, 1994 at about 7:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150L (N153KA) and Cessna 172N (N733DW), were involved in the same accident near Richmond, Indiana (Richmond Municipal airport). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1994 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Indiana · Richmond Municipal
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N153KA · no longer on the register · serial 15073358
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733DW · no longer on the register · serial 17268224
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150L final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 150, N153KA, WERE PERFORMING A TOUCH-&-GO ON RUNWAY 33, WHILE A STUDENT & CFI IN A CESSNA 172, N733DW, WERE PERFORMING A TOUCH-&-GO ON RUNWAY 24. THE 2 AIRPLANES COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE RUNWAYS. THE CFI OF THE CESSNA 150 SAID THEY MADE ADVISORY CALLS ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY BEFORE ENTERING THE TRAFFIC & ON ALL LEGS OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS. THE CESSNA 150 PILOTS INITIALLY ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 24, THEN CHANGED TO RUNWAY 33. THE CFI OF THE CESSNA 172 REPORTED THEY WERE PRACTICING USAGE OF THE VOR, WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE AIRPORT & THAT RADIO TRANSMISSION(S) WERE MADE ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY BEFORE ENTERING A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24. ALSO, HE STATED THAT THE STUDENT (IN THE CESSNA 172) MADE THE LANDING & THAT THE AIRPLANE FLOATED & TOUCHED DOWN LONG. THE CFI'S IN BOTH AIRPLANES SAW THE OTHER PLANE JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE CFI IN THE CESSNA 150 ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION.
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 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN CESSNA 150, N153KA, WERE PERFORMING A TOUCH-&-GO ON RUNWAY 33, WHILE A STUDENT & CFI IN A CESSNA 172, N733DW, WERE PERFORMING A TOUCH-&-GO ON RUNWAY 24. THE 2 AIRPLANES COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE RUNWAYS. THE CFI OF THE CESSNA 150 SAID THEY MADE ADVISORY CALLS ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY BEFORE ENTERING THE TRAFFIC & ON ALL LEGS OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS. THE CESSNA 150 PILOTS INITIALLY ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 24, THEN CHANGED TO RUNWAY 33. THE CFI OF THE CESSNA 172 REPORTED THEY WERE PRACTICING USAGE OF THE VOR, WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE AIRPORT & THAT RADIO TRANSMISSION(S) WERE MADE ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY BEFORE ENTERING A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24. ALSO, HE STATED THAT THE STUDENT (IN THE CESSNA 172) MADE THE LANDING & THAT THE AIRPLANE FLOATED & TOUCHED DOWN LONG. THE CFI'S IN BOTH AIRPLANES SAW THE OTHER PLANE JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE CFI IN THE CESSNA 150 ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION.
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 150L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 444 hours in all; 209 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command; 146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,671 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 27, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RID IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DAY, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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: 513 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command; 135 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 20, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3I7 Phillipsburg OH at 7:00 pm
- Destination: RID IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.