Cessna 172B and Pitts S-2B mid-air collision near Caddo Mills, Texas, December 28, 1985
On December 28, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172B (N6876X) and Pitts S-2B (N5305A), were involved in a mid-air collision near Caddo Mills, Texas (Caddo Mills Muni airport). 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- December 28, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Caddo Mills, Texas · Caddo Mills Muni
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6876X · no longer on the register · serial 17247776
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Pitts S-2B · all S-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5305A · registry record · serial 5009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172B final · quoted from the NTSB record
MID-AIR OCCURRED AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITH THE S-2B EXECUTING RT TRAFFIC, AS PUBLISHED, AND THE C-172 EXECUTING A LONG FINAL OR AN ARCING LFT TURN TO FINAL. BOTH ACFT WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 17R. ACDT OCCURRED DURING LATE AFTERNOON AND THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE SUN GLARE. THE S-2B CAME OUT OF THE SUN AND COLLIDED WITH THE RT SIDE OF THE C-172 EMPENNAGE, CAUSING THE TAIL TO SEVER. AT THE TIME, C-172 WAS WINGS LEVEL IN A SLIGHT DESCENT, S-2B WAS IN A RT BANK, SLIGHT NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, DESCENDING. C-172 CRASHED IN AN OPEN FLD AND S-2B REGAINED CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE. WITNESSES STATED THAT C-172 DID NOT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND PLT'S IN S-2B STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THE C-172 UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. ARPT MGR DID NOT RECALL HEARING EITHER ACFT TRANSMIT ON UNICOM. SUN GLARE WOULD HAVE MADE ACQUISITION OF S-2B DIFFICULT FOR C-172 AND RESTRICTED VISIBILITY OUT OF S-2B AFFECTED VISUAL ACQUISITION OF C-172 BY IT'S PILOTS.
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 Pitts S-2B final · quoted from the NTSB record
MID-AIR OCCURRED AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITH THE S-2B EXECUTING RT TRAFFIC, AS PUBLISHED, AND THE C-172 EXECUTING A LONG FINAL OR AN ARCING LFT TURN TO FINAL. BOTH ACFT WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 17R. ACDT OCCURRED DURING LATE AFTERNOON AND THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE SUN GLARE. THE S-2B CAME OUT OF THE SUN AND COLLIDED WITH THE RT SIDE OF THE C-172 EMPENNAGE, CAUSING THE TAIL TO SEVER. AT THE TIME, C-172 WAS WINGS LEVEL IN A SLIGHT DESCENT, S-2B WAS IN A RT BANK, SLIGHT NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, DESCENDING. C-172 CRASHED IN AN OPEN FLD AND S-2B REGAINED CONTROL AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE. WITNESSES STATED THAT C-172 DID NOT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND PLT'S IN S-2B STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE THE C-172 UNTIL AFTER THE COLLISION. ARPT MGR DID NOT RECALL HEARING EITHER ACFT TRANSMIT ON UNICOM. SUN GLARE WOULD HAVE MADE ACQUISITION OF S-2B DIFFICULT FOR C-172 PLT AND RESTRICTED VISIBILITY OUT OF S-2B AFFECTED VISUAL ACQUISITION OF C-172 BY IT'S PILOTS.
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 172B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 725 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,752 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 1985; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D0D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 20TA Paris TX at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from DAL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Pitts S-2B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 5,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1985; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO540D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PLS Palestine TX at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 4,000 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.