Cessna 172P and Beech 95-C55 mid-air collision near Plainview, Texas, September 1, 1982
On September 1, 1982 at about 9:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N62405) and Beech 95-C55 (N520T), were involved in a mid-air collision near Plainview, Texas (Hale County airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- September 1, 1982 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plainview, Texas · Hale County · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62405 · registry record · serial 17275263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 95-C55 · all 95-C55s on the register
- Registration
- N520T · registry record · serial TE-63
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RECEIVING TRAFFIC ADVISORIES ENROUTE TO PLAINVIEW, THE PLT OF THE C-172 WAS GIVEN THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQ FOR HALE COUNTY ARPT AS 120.7. HOWEVER THE PLT COPIED 127.7 & REACHED FTW CENTER INSTEAD. THE PLT MADE NO FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT FREQ & REPORTED PATTERN POSITIONS ON UNICOM FREQ OF 122.95. THE BE-95 WAS MAKING A MODIFIED STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH & WAS MAKING POSITION REPORTS ON 120.7. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY AFTER THE COLLISION. THE TOWER HAD BEEN CLOSED AS A RESULT OF A SHORTAGE OF CONTROLLERS.
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 95-C55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RECEIVING TRAFFIC ADVISORIES ENROUTE TO PLAINVIEW, THE PLT OF THE C-172 WAS GIVEN THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQ FOR HALE COUNTY ARPT AS 120.7. HOWEVER THE PLT COPIED 127.7 & REACHED FTW CENTER INSTEAD. THE PLT MADE NO FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT FREQ & REPORTED PATTERN POSITIONS ON UNICOM FREQ OF 122.95. THE BE-95 WAS MAKING A MODIFIED STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH & WAS MAKING POSITION REPORTS ON 120.7. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY AFTER THE COLLISION. THE TOWER HAD BEEN CLOSED AS A RESULT OF A SHORTAGE OF CONTROLLERS.
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 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 565 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sandene Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Lubbock TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Shawnee OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 203°F (95°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from LBB, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 95-C55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,801 hours in all; 1,644 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 11,722 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,415 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Simmitt TX at 3:55 pm
- Destination: Plainview TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,200 ft by 100 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.
Other NTSB records under N62405 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.