Cessna 340 and Beech A36 mid-air collision near Rock Springs, Wyoming, April 26, 1983
On April 26, 1983 at about 5:03 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 340 (N5415M) and Beech A36 (N1825F), were involved in a mid-air collision near Rock Springs, Wyoming (Sweetwater County airport). 3 people were killed. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1983 · about 5:03 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Wyoming · Sweetwater County · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N5415M · no longer on the register · serial 340-0028
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1825F · no longer on the register · serial E1897
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 340 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREW OF A CESSNA 340, N5415M, WERE SCHEDULED FOR AN AIR TAXI CHECK RIDE WITH AN INSPECTOR AT JACKSON, WY, LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY HAD PLANNED TO TAKEOFF FROM ROCK SPRINGS, WY, PRACTICE AT FEW INSTRUMENT APCHS AT ROCK SPRINGS, THEN PROCEED TO JACKSON. AFTER TAKING OFF, THEY MADE AN NDB APCH, MADE A MISSED APCH, THEN BEGAN AN ILS APCH. A BEECH BONANZA, N1825F, WAS ON A FLT FROM SCOTTSBLUFF, NE TO ROCK SPRINGS. DURING ARRIVAL TO ROCK SPRINGS, THE BONANZA PLT WAS MONITORING THE POSITION OF A KING AIR THAT WAS AHEAD OF HIM & ALSO ON AN APCH TO THE SAME ARPT. ALL 3 ACFT WERE USING THE SAME FREQUENCY & ALL 3 WERE PROVIDING REPORTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS. AT APRX 1103 MDT, WITNESSES HEARD N5415M & N1825F COLLIDE, THEN SAW THE ACFT & PIECES OF WRECKAGE FALLING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CESSNA WAS INBOUND TOWARD THE OUTERMARKER (270 DEG COURSE) & THE BONANZA WAS IN LEVEL FLT, HEADING APRX 219 DEG. BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING VFR.
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 A36 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREW OF A CESSNA 340, N5415M, WERE SCHEDULED FOR AN AIR TAXI CHECK RIDE WITH AN INSPECTOR AT JACKSON, WY, LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY HAD PLANNED TO TAKEOFF FROM ROCK SPRINGS, WY, PRACTICE A FEW INSTRUCMENT APCHS AT ROCK SPRINGS, THEN PROCEED TO JACKSON. AFTER TAKING OFF, THEY MADE AN NDB APCH, MADE A MISSED APCH, THEN BEGAN AN ILS APCH. A BEECH BONANZA, N1825F, WAS ON A FLT FROM SCOTTSBLUFF, NE TO ROCK SPRINGS. DURING ARRIVAL TO ROCK SPRINGS, THE BONANZA PLT WAS MONITORING THE POSITION OF A KING AIR THAT WAS AHEAD OF HIM & ALSO ON AN APCH TO THE SAME ARPT. ALL 3 ACFT WERE USING THE SAME FREQUENCY & ALL 3 WERE PROVIDING REPORTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS. AT APRX 1103 MDT, WITNESSES HEARD N5415M & N1825F COLLIDE, THEN SAW THE ACFT & PECES OF WRECKAGE FALLING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CESSNA WAS INBOUND TOWARD THE OUTERMARKER (270 DEG COURSE) & THE BONANZA WAS IN LEVEL FLT, HEADING APRX 219 DEG. BOTH ACFT WERE OPERATING VFR.
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 340 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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,281 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3,787 as pilot in command; 709 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,022 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 342 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,975 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JAC Jackson WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from RKS, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Beech A36 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 688 hours in all; 51 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 630 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 283 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1982; 202 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB168B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82V Pine Bluffs WY at 3:30 pm
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.