Beech E18S and Mcdonnell Douglas RF-4C accident near Birmingham, Alabama, June 21, 1985
On June 21, 1985 at about 2:01 am local time, 2 aircraft, Beech E18S (N19T) and Mcdonnell Douglas RF-4C (AFNG), were involved in the same accident near Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham airport). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1985 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · Birmingham · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N19T · registry record · serial BA-147
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Mcdonnell Douglas RF-4C
- Registration
- AFNG · no longer on the register · serial 64-1032
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · military rules
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech E18S final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 2045 THE MILITARY FLT, DIXIE 06, CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM APCH & OBTAINED CLEARANCE FOR A LOW APCH FOLLOWED BY A FULL-STOP LNDG ON RWY 05. AT 2053, DIXIE 06 REPORTED A 4 MILE FINAL FOR A LOW APCH TO THE LOCAL CONTROLLER. AT 2054:19, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER CLEARED ABX 74, N19T, '...TAXI POSITION AND HOLD FIVE.' ABX 74 WAS AWAITING TAKEOFF INSTRUCTIONS ONRWY 05 WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FORGOT ABX 74. SHE BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER TRAFFIC USING RWY 36. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TERMED THE TRAFFIC AS BUSIER THAN NORMAL FOR A NIGHT OPERATION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE TOWER WAS STAFFED WITH 2 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND AN AIR TRAFFIC ASSISTANT. NO SUPERVISOR OR COORDINATOR WAS AVAILABLE IN THE CAB TO DETECT CONTROLLER OVERLOAD AND OFFER ASSISTANCE.
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 Mcdonnell Douglas RF-4C final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 2045 THE MILITARY FLT, DIXIE 06, CONTACTED BIRMINGHAM APCH & OBTAINED CLEARANCE FOR A LOW APCH FOLLOWED BY A FULL-STOP LNDG ON RWY 05. AT 2053, DIXIE 06 REPORTED A 4 MILE FINAL FOR A LOW APCH TO THE LOCAL CONTROLLER. AT 2054:19, THE LOCAL CONTROLLER CLEARED ABX 74, N19T, '...TAXI POSITION AND HOLD FIVE.' ABX 74 WAS AWAITING TAKEOFF INSTRUCTIONS ONRWY 05 WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LOCAL CONTROLLER FORGOT ABX 74. SHE BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH OTHER TRAFFIC USING RWY 36. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER TERMED THE TRAFFIC AS BUSIER THAN NORMAL FOR A NIGHT OPERATION. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE TOWER WAS STAFFED WITH 2 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND AN AIR TRAFFIC ASSISTANT. NO SUPERVISOR OR COORDINATOR WAS AVAILABLE IN THE CAB TO DETECT CONTROLLER OVERLOAD AND OFFER ASSISTANCE.
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 Beech E18S 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: 10,600 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,936 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 14, 1985; 302 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 am from BMH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Mcdonnell Douglas RF-4C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: military
- Flight time: 2,561 hours in all; 2,320 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,467 as pilot in command; 611 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,813 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 9, 1985; 178 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 58,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge J79-15A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Usaf
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DCA85AA026.