Cessna 150M and Beech V35B mid-air collision near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, April 14, 1995
On April 14, 1995 at about 7:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 150M (N45457) and Beech V35B (N1HK), were involved in a mid-air collision near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Regional airport). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE BEECH V35B, RESULTING IN HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE CESSNA 150, WHICH WAS AHEAD AND BELOW HIM ON FINAL APPROACH; AND FAILURE OF THE TOWER CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SERVICE (FLIGHT ADVISORIES AND LANDING SEQUENCE) TO THE PILOTS OF THE CESSNA 150 AND BEECH V35B. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE AIR-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATION BY THE BEECH V35B PILOT, BY FAILING TO NOTIFY THE TOWER THAT HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH, AND BY FAILING TO OBTAIN A CLEARANCE TO LAND; FAILURE OF THE TOWER CONTROLLER TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE BEECH V35B; EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD FOR THE TOWER CONTROLLER; AND POSSIBLE GLARE FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE TOWER CAB (OTHER LIGHT CONDITION).
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE BEECH V35B, RESULTING IN HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE CESSNA 150, WHICH WAS AHEAD AND BELOW HIM ON FINAL APPROACH; AND FAILURE OF THE TOWER CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SERVICE (FLIGHT ADVISORIES AND LANDING SEQUENCE) TO THE PILOTS OF THE CESSNA 150 AND BEECH V35B. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE AIR-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATION BY THE BEECH V35B PILOT, BY FAILING TO NOTIFY THE TOWER THAT HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH, AND BY FAILING TO OBTAIN A CLEARANCE TO LAND; FAILURE OF THE TOWER CONTROLLER TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE BEECH V35B; EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD FOR THE TOWER CONTROLLER; AND POSSIBLE GLARE FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE TOWER CAB (OTHER LIGHT CONDITION).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1995 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Regional
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N45457 · no longer on the register · serial 15076932
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1HK · no longer on the register · serial D-9960
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150M final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 1417:23 CDT, THE PILOT OF CESSNA 150, N45457, CONTACTED THE TOWER AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND INBOUND (FOR LANDING). THE TOWER CONTROLLER (CTLR) CLEARED THE PILOT TO ENTER A LEFT BASE FOR RUNWAY 36 AND TOLD HIM TO REPORT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST (OF THE AIRPORT). AT 1419:30, BEECH V35B, N1HK, CONTACTED THE TOWER AND REPORTED INBOUND, 18 MILES SOUTH (FOR LANDING). THE CTLR CLEARED THE V35B (TO CONTINUE) FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 (BUT DID NOT CLEAR THE V35B TO LAND). ONE OF THE V35B PILOTS ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE V35B. AT 1422:54, THE CESSNA PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS 3 MILES SOUTHWEST 'STARTING A BASE' AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. THE TOWER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A D-BRITE SCOPE (RADAR SCREEN REPEATER); BUT LATER, RADAR NTAP DATA AT THE GREEN BAY STATION REVEALED THAT THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED AS THEY WERE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. THE V35B WAS ABOUT 800' ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE CESSNA AS THE CESSNA BEGAN ITS FINAL APPROACH. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE AIRPLANES TRAVELED ABOUT 1500' BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE CESSNA BANKED RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT, BUT ITS LEFT WING AND THE V35B'S LOWER FUSELAGE COLLIDED. THE TWO AIRPLANES THEN CRASHED. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE V35B AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA TO LAND. A SECOND CTLR WAS ON DUTY, BUT WAS ON A RELIEF BREAK WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CTLRS SAID THAT THE TOWER CAB WINDOW HAD REFLECTIVE GLARE THAT CONSTITUTED A HINDRANCE. THE WORKING CTLR WAS HANDLING NINE AIRPLANES WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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 Beech V35B final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 1417:23 CDT, THE PILOT OF CESSNA 150, N45457, CONTACTED THE TOWER AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND INBOUND (FOR LANDING). THE TOWER CONTROLLER (CTLR) CLEARED THE PILOT TO ENTER A LEFT BASE FOR RUNWAY 36 AND TOLD HIM TO REPORT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST (OF THE AIRPORT). AT 1419:30, BEECH V35B, N1HK, CONTACTED THE TOWER AND REPORTED INBOUND, 18 MILES SOUTH (FOR LANDING). THE CTLR CLEARED THE V35B (TO CONTINUE) FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 (BUT DID NOT CLEAR THE V35B TO LAND). ONE OF THE V35B PILOTS ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE V35B. AT 1422:54, THE CESSNA PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS 3 MILES SOUTHWEST 'STARTING A BASE' AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. THE TOWER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A D-BRITE SCOPE (RADAR SCREEN REPEATER); BUT LATER, RADAR NTAP DATA AT THE GREEN BAY STATION REVEALED THAT THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED AS THEY WERE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. THE V35B WAS ABOUT 800' ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE CESSNA AS THE CESSNA BEGAN ITS FINAL APPROACH. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE AIRPLANES TRAVELED ABOUT 1500' BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE CESSNA BANKED RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT, BUT ITS LEFT WING AND THE V35B'S LOWER FUSELAGE COLLIDED. THE TWO AIRPLANES THEN CRASHED. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE V35B AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA TO LAND. A SECOND CTLR WAS ON DUTY, BUT WAS ON A RELIEF BREAK WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CTLRS SAID THAT THE TOWER CAB WINDOW HAD REFLECTIVE GLARE THAT CONSTITUTED A HINDRANCE. THE WORKING CTLR WAS HANDLING NINE AIRPLANES WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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 150M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,315 hours in all; 16 in the last 90 days; 2,207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech V35B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 319 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 272 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: C59 Delevan WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.