Cessna 441 and Cessna 152 mid-air collision near Dallas, Texas, October 1, 1985
On October 1, 1985 at about 6:28 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 441 (N400BG) and Cessna 152 (N5522L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Dallas, Texas (Redbird airport). 5 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
- October 1, 1985 · about 6:28 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Redbird · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N400BG · registry record · serial 4410069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5522L · no longer on the register · serial 15284333
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 441 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PLT IN A CESSNA 152, N5522L, HAD DEPTD REDBIRD ARPT AT DALLAS. HE WAS PRACTICING SOLO MANEUVERS IN A PRIVATELYDESIGNATED PRACTICE AREA THAT OVERLAPPED THE EXTENDED INBND COURSE TO RWYS 31L & R AT LOVE FIELD. AT THE SAME TIME, A CESSNA 441, N400BG, WAS BEING VECTORED FOR A BACK COURSE ILS TO RWY 31R. DFW APCH CONTROL CLEARED N400BG TO CONT DSCNDG TO 3000' & FLY HDG 290 DEG. WHILE N400BG WAS DSCNDG THRU APRX 3600', ABOUT 14 MI SE OF LOVE FIELD, THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED. THE CESSNA 152 PLT WAS MANEUVERING AT OR NEAR THE EDGE OF THE PRACTICE AREA WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. AN INV REVEALEDTHE CESSNA 152 HAD JUST COMPLETED AN APRX 180 DEG TURN TWD AN EASTERLY HDG. BOTH ACFT WERE DEMOLISHED IN A QUARTERING HEAD-ON COLLISION. RADAR INFO FM BOTH ACFT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE CONTROLLER'S SCOPE. THE CESSNA 152 WAS DEPICTED AS A 1200 BEACON CODE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A MODE C (ALT RPRTG) TRANSPONDER. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT PROVIDE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR THE CESSNA 441 PLT; BUT, IN THIS SITUATION, AN ADVISORY WAS NOT MANDATORY.
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 Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PLT IN A CESSNA 152, N5522L, HAD DEPTD REDBIRD ARPT AT DALLAS. HE WAS PRACTICING SOLO MANEUVERS IN A PRIVATELYDESIGNATED PRACTICE AREA THAT OVERLAPPED THE EXTENDED INBND COURSE TO RWYS 31L & R AT LOVE FIELD. AT THE SAME TIME, A CESSNA 441, N400BG, WAS BEING VECTORED FOR A BACK COURSE ILS TO RWY 31R. DFW APCH CONTROL CLEARED N400BG TO CONT DSCNDG TO 3000' & FLY HDG 290 DEG. WHILE N400BG WAS DSCNDG THRU APRX 3600', ABOUT 14 MI SE OF LOVE FIELD, THE 2 ACFT COLLIDED. THE CESSNA 152 PLT WAS MANEUVERING AT OR NEAR THE EDGE OF THE PRACTICE AREA WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. AN INV REVEALEDTHE CESSNA 152 HAD JUST COMPLETED AN APRX 180 DEG TURN TWD AN EASTERLY HDG. BOTH ACFT WERE DEMOLISHED IN A QUARTERING HEAD-ON COLLISION. RADAR INFO FM BOTH ACFT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE CONTROLLER'S SCOPE. THE CESSNA 152 WAS DEPICTED AS A 1200 BEACON CODE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A MODE C (ALT RPRTG) TRANSPONDER. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT PROVIDE A TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR THE CESSNA 441 PLT; BUT, IN THIS SITUATION, AN ADVISORY WAS NOT MANDATORY.
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 441 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,227 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 1985; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,850 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE-331-8 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Rosewood Enterprises INC
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 4:52 pm
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31R, 7,753 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from DAL, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1985; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Modern Aero, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RBD Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.