Beech 1900C and Beech A90 accident near Quincy, Illinois, November 19, 1996
On November 19, 1996 at about 11:01 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech 1900C (N87GL) and Beech A90 (N1127D), were involved in the same accident near Quincy, Illinois (Quincy Municipal airport). 14 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilots in the King Air A90 to effectively monitor the common traffic advisory frequency or to properly scan for traffic, resulting in their commencing a takeoff roll when the Beech 1900C (United Express flight 5925) was landing on an intersecting runway. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the Cherokee pilot's interrupted radio transmission, which led to the Beech 1900C pilot's misunderstanding of the transmission as an indication from the King Air that it would not take off until after flight 5925 had cleared the runway. Contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to be opened. (NTSB Report AAR-97/04)
the failure of the pilots in the King Air A90 to effectively monitor the common traffic advisory frequency or to properly scan for traffic, resulting in their commencing a takeoff roll when the Beech 1900C (United Express flight 5925) was landing on an intersecting runway. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the Cherokee pilot's interrupted radio transmission, which led to the Beech 1900C pilot's misunderstanding of the transmission as an indication from the King Air that it would not take off until after flight 5925 had cleared the runway. Contributing to the severity of the accident and the loss of life were the lack of adequate aircraft rescue and firefighting services and the failure of the air stair door on the Beech 1900C to be opened. (NTSB Report AAR-97/04)
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1996 · about 11:01 pm local time
- Place
- Quincy, Illinois · Quincy Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 14 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech 1900C · all 1900Cs on the register
- Registration
- N87GL · registry record · serial UC-87
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech A90
- Registration
- N1127D · registry record
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 1900C final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Beech 1900C, N87GL, was in its landing roll on runway 13, and the Beech A90, N1127D, was in its takeoff roll on runway 4. The collision occurred at the intersection of the two runways. The flight crew of the Beech 1900C had made appropriate efforts to coordinate the approach & landing through radio communications & visual monitoring; however they mistook a Cherokee pilot's transmission (that he was holding for departure on runway 4) as a response from the Beech A90 to their request for the Beech A90's intentions, and therefore mistakenly believed that the Beech A90 was not planning to take off until after the Beech 1900C had cleared the runway. The failure of the Beech A90 pilot to announce over the common traffic advisory frequency his intention to take off created a potential for collision between the two airplanes.
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 A90 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Beech 1900C, N87GL, was in its landing roll on runway 13, and the Beech A90, N1127D, was in its takeoff roll on runway 4. The collision occurred at the intersection of the two runways. The flight crew of the Beech 1900C had made appropriate efforts to coordinate the approach & landing through radio communications & visual monitoring; however they mistook a Cherokee pilot's transmission (that he was holding for departure on runway 4) as a response from the Beech A90 to their request for the Beech A90's intentions, and therefore mistakenly believed that the Beech A90 was not planning to take off until after the Beech 1900C had cleared the runway. The failure of the Beech A90 pilot to announce over the common traffic advisory frequency his intention to take off created a potential for collision between the two airplanes.
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 1900C from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 235 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 28, 1996
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,950 hours in all; 223 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 10, 1996
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,446 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 27, 1996
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Great Lakes Aviation, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: BRL Burlington IA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: UIN Quincy IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 5,398 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:09 pm from UIN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
The factual record for the Beech A90 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,648 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,392 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 15, 1996; 32 hours since
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Centurion Investment, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 7,097 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.